New Delhi, September 24 (IANS). The World Health Organization (WHO) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have launched a $1.5 billion Primary Health Financing Platform in 15 countries. Its aim is to promote health in low- and middle-income countries.
The historic partnership under the new ‘Health Impact Investment Platform’ aims to address the need for coordinated efforts to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) in vulnerable and marginalized communities to build resilience against pandemic threats such as monkeypox and the climate crisis. Is.
About 15 countries have been identified for the first phase. These include Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Jordan, Maldives, Morocco, Senegal, South Sudan, Gambia, Tunisia and Zambia.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said, “Primary health care is the most equitable, cost-effective and inclusive way to improve health and well-being. It helps keep people healthy, prevent disease and detect outbreaks early.” helps.”
He described the new ‘Health Impact Investment Platform’ as an important source of new financing that will help build climate and crisis-resilient primary health care.
The platform will work closely with the governments of these countries to develop national health strategies to promote their primary health. They will also prioritize investment opportunities that meet national health needs. This funding agreement has been signed at the high-level roundtable meeting in New York.
The roundtable included the partnership’s three founding multilateral development banks (MDBs)—the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the governments of Djibouti, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Heads of state, finance and health ministers participated. The Asian Development Bank also joined them.
The EIB and the World Health Organization have signed an initial contribution of 10 million euros to kick-start the investment plans, the global health body said. The Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank are also expected to sign it soon.
–IANS
FZ/GKT
