Strong calls for sustainable health financing at TICAD 9

At TICAD 9, UHC2030 co-chair Dr. Magda Robalo met with senior officials from the Japanese Government and with parliamentarians to call for joint and aligned action to ensure sustainable health financing and financial protection, especially in today’s critical global context. Japanese government representatives expressed enthusiasm for the launch of the UHC Knowledge Hub in December and welcomed the contribution of UHC2030 as a platform that fosters multistakeholder engagement, learning and experience sharing.

At a breakfast discussion hosted by Japan’s Foreign Minister Mr. Takeshi Iwaya, alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres and representatives of international organizations, Dr Magda Robalo recalled Japan’s consistent leadership on UHC and applauded the government’s bold vision in establishing the UHC Knowledge Hub. She ended her statement with a strong call for financial protection for health against the backdrop of the ongoing global health financing crisis: “No one should become poor from accessing health services.” 
 
The Global Fund and the Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria also hosted the official TICAD 9 side event ”Sustainable Health Financing in Africa: From Commitments to Action”, which focused on public financial magement for UHC. During the event, Dr. Magda Robalo called for integrating external funding into national systems, mobilizing national budgets, and building predictability and accountability for long-term health investment. “Don’t wait for government’s perfect systems and take action now." she stated. "Start using and strengthening them now, even if they’re still weak.”

The Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD also organized a side event to launch the Africa-Japan Common Vision on Health, which includes, as its first priority area, sustainable financing to support resilient and equitable health systems. Dr Magda Robalo seized the opportunity to highlight the importance of South-South cooperation, respectful partnerships and co-creation to make progress towards UHC. She also emphasized the urgent need to move from vision to action for real progress: “Let’s start planning the concrete steps needed to transform the vision into reality.”