Strengthening health systems a prerequisite to achieving SDGs

14 December 2016 – The Governor of Khomas Region, Laura McLeod-Katjirua on behalf of the Prime Minister said strengthening the health systems is an indispensable prerequisite to realize the goal of a healthy nation.

McLeod-Katjirua said this at the first Regional Forum on Strengthening Health Systems for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which opened in Windhoek on Monday.

In a statement McLeod-Katjirua said, “We are expecting that this forum to help expedite the efforts of countries in the Region towards UHC and achievement of SDGs”.

The Forum, organized by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) in collaboration with the the Namibian government, will also initiate the WHO Africa Region’s actions towards implementation of the health SDG and UHC.

Furthermore, the Forum aims to bring the technical leadership of Ministries of Health together with partners and other stakeholders to share experiences and agree on an African approach to building sustained, resilient and robust health systems.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti called on governments to provide the necessary stewardship in order to reach UHC and SDG targets.

“We must see health as a prerequisite, a determinant and an outcome of all the SDGs, and not merely the ‘health goal’,” she added.

She further underscored the need to develop mechanisms to ensure in-depth intersectoral engagement and thereby to reinforce multi-stakeholder commitments and collaboration.

In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the SDGs, of which Goal 3 addresses health, underpinned by a target on Universal Health Coverage