By Zayamu Hassan
The Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called for collaboration among countries to ensure quick recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He stated this while reacting to the second progress report released by Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (SDG3 GAP) christened, ‘Stronger collaboration for an equitable and resilient recovery towards the health-related SDGs.’
The report also identified challenges encountered over the last year, acknowledging the important roles that countries, agencies’ boards and donors play in setting the right incentives for effective collaboration among SDG3 GAP agencies.
The WHO Director General said: “The GAP partners have shown their unwavering commitment to countries during the pandemic. Collaboration is now more relevant than ever.
“The GAP provides the platform to improve collaboration in the multilateral system to support countries to recover from the pandemic and drive progress towards the health-related SDGs, with a focus on equity and enabled by stronger primary health care.”
The report highlighted ways in the which SDG3 GAP agencies are integrating work at country level, reducing fragmentation through joint work in support of national priorities and plans, creating synergies and increasing alignment within the broader health ecosystem.
For example, the report incorporated parts of the Every Woman, Every Child agenda and working jointly with the Health Data Collaborative (HDC) in countries.
Many countries are prioritizing Primary Health Care (PHC) and sustainable financing as well as data for improving equity to understand people’s lives and to know where investments need to be made to reach the most left behind.
In his reaction, the Director of the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents, Dr Muhammad Pate, said: “Partnership is at the heart of the GFF’s country-led model. COVID-19 has made it even clearer that collaboration is critical to fight the pandemic and achieve the health-related SDGs.
“Working together GAP agencies have accelerated their efforts for stronger partner alignment, engagement and accountability behind country-led response and recovery efforts to reclaim the health gains and build a more inclusive and resilient recovery.”
The Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, however, called for what he described as intensive collaboration among partners considering the enormity of the global health challenges, saying that the GF was ready to work to achieve effective and efficient countries.
“Today’s global health challenges call for an integrated approach and intensive collaboration between all partners.
“We are committed to working together to deliver more effective and efficient support to countries, build the path towards an equitable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3: health and well-being for all,” he said.
