Minister of Health calls for ambitious targets for 2025

Source: Ministry of Health, 20th May 2008

In his inaugural address to the World Health Assembly, as President of the Assembly, delivered at the 61st World Health Assembly being held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Minister of Health of Guyana, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, called for global action on a number of important health indicators.

The Minister called for a “60 by 25 initiative” in which global actions to improve health would result in no country having a life expectancy of below 60 years by 2025. This he posited is an ambitious goal, considering there are more than50 countries today with life expectancies below 50.

Further, the WHA President passionately appealed for concerted global action to reduce child deaths and to eliminate all preventable child deaths by 2025. Minister Ramsammy asserted that the MDGs must not be seen as end goals, but rather as a springboard for the elimination of all preventable child deaths by 2025. He argued that for this to become possible, poverty must be ended by 2025.

In his view, this is entirely within the capacity of the world. With an economy of about 70T dollars (US) and an economy that is doubling about every 15 years, Minister Ramsammy believes that the world has the capacity for collective action to end poverty.

Minister Ramsammy asked the World health Assembly, with Ministers of Health and their representatives from 198 countries, to have the audacity to dream of a world without preventable child deaths and a world with no poverty. He passionately called for people to have the audacity to demand the end of preventable child deaths.

These targets, the Minister stated may sound like today’s dreams, but they could be our realities of tomorrow. Minister Ramsammy urged the Assembly to be bold and not be deterred by the ambitious goals he has urged them to adopt.

His address received much commendation by delegates from the Assembly. Minister Ramsammy stated he intends to follow up to ensure the WHO accepts these targets and make them global initiatives.

As President of the 61st Health Assembly, Dr Leslie Ramsammy is supported by Vice-Presidents from the Congo, Estonia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Maldives, and Sudan. The Chairman of Committee A is Dr Francesco Cicogna from Italy and the Chairman of Committee B is Dr Anastasio Ruben Sicato from Angola.

The 61st World Health Assembly opened On May 19, at the Palais des Nations with a special video presentation to mark the 60th anniversary of WHO. The video entitled "Our health, our future" paid a fitting tribute to WHO's 60 years by bringing together leading health figures, Goodwill Ambassadors and WHO staff to breathe life into the Constitution which was signed by 26 Member States back in 1948.

Each contributor to the video recited a key phrase of the Constitution as compelling images highlighted health issues from the past 60 years. Equally moving, children from the International School of Geneva (La Châtaigneraie) offered their ultimate health wish for the future. The video projected a sense of pride and hope and showed that while the world has changed in 60 years - politically, technologically, demographically, economically, and epidemiologically - the WHO Constitution remains as relevant today to all ages as it was 60 years ago.
Director-General Dr Margaret Chan addressed the Health Assembly during the afternoon session. She sent condolences to the millions of people who have lost relatives, homes, and livelihoods in the recent cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. She spoke of the work WHO is undertaking to construct hospitals and health facilities that can survive the impact of natural disasters, including high-intensity earthquakes and tropical storms.

Dr Chan also spoke of three global crises that are looming on the horizon; food security, climate change and pandemic influenza. "These three critical events, these clear threats to international security, have the potential to undo much hard-won progress in public health," she said. "In all cases, those countries with solid health infrastructures and efficient mechanisms for reaching vulnerable populations will be in the best position to cope."
Issues on the agenda of the Health Assembly include pandemic influenza preparedness; sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines; poliomyelitis; the harmful use of alcohol; female genital mutilation; climate change; the International Health Regulations; counterfeit medical products; smallpox virus stock; and public health, innovation and intellectual property.

Two invited speakers will address the Health Assembly this afternoon: Princess Muna Al Hussein of Jordan, WHO's patron for nursing and midwifery in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and Archbishop Emeritus of Capetown, Desmond Tutu, who is actively involved in the fight against diseases in his country and outside.Minister of Health calls for ambitious targets for 2025

In his inaugural address to the World Health Assembly, as President of the Assembly, delivered at the 61st World Health Assembly being held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Minister of Health of Guyana, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, called for global action on a number of important health indicators.

The Minister called for a “60 by 25 initiative” in which global actions to improve health would result in no country having a life expectancy of below 60 years by 2025. This he posited is an ambitious goal, considering there are more than50 countries today with life expectancies below 50.

Further, the WHA President passionately appealed for concerted global action to reduce child deaths and to eliminate all preventable child deaths by 2025. Minister Ramsammy asserted that the MDGs must not be seen as end goals, but rather as a springboard for the elimination of all preventable child deaths by 2025. He argued that for this to become possible, poverty must be ended by 2025.

In his view, this is entirely within the capacity of the world. With an economy of about 70T dollars (US) and an economy that is doubling about every 15 years, Minister Ramsammy believes that the world has the capacity for collective action to end poverty.

Minister Ramsammy asked the World health Assembly, with Ministers of Health and their representatives from 198 countries, to have the audacity to dream of a world without preventable child deaths and a world with no poverty. He passionately called for people to have the audacity to demand the end of preventable child deaths.

These targets, the Minister stated may sound like today’s dreams, but they could be our realities of tomorrow. Minister Ramsammy urged the Assembly to be bold and not be deterred by the ambitious goals he has urged them to adopt.

His address received much commendation by delegates from the Assembly. Minister Ramsammy stated he intends to follow up to ensure the WHO accepts these targets and make them global initiatives.

As President of the 61st Health Assembly, Dr Leslie Ramsammy is supported by Vice-Presidents from the Congo, Estonia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Maldives, and Sudan. The Chairman of Committee A is Dr Francesco Cicogna from Italy and the Chairman of Committee B is Dr Anastasio Ruben Sicato from Angola.

The 61st World Health Assembly opened On May 19, at the Palais des Nations with a special video presentation to mark the 60th anniversary of WHO. The video entitled "Our health, our future" paid a fitting tribute to WHO's 60 years by bringing together leading health figures, Goodwill Ambassadors and WHO staff to breathe life into the Constitution which was signed by 26 Member States back in 1948.

Each contributor to the video recited a key phrase of the Constitution as compelling images highlighted health issues from the past 60 years. Equally moving, children from the International School of Geneva (La Châtaigneraie) offered their ultimate health wish for the future. The video projected a sense of pride and hope and showed that while the world has changed in 60 years - politically, technologically, demographically, economically, and epidemiologically - the WHO Constitution remains as relevant today to all ages as it was 60 years ago.
Director-General Dr Margaret Chan addressed the Health Assembly during the afternoon session. She sent condolences to the millions of people who have lost relatives, homes, and livelihoods in the recent cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. She spoke of the work WHO is undertaking to construct hospitals and health facilities that can survive the impact of natural disasters, including high-intensity earthquakes and tropical storms.

Dr Chan also spoke of three global crises that are looming on the horizon; food security, climate change and pandemic influenza. "These three critical events, these clear threats to international security, have the potential to undo much hard-won progress in public health," she said. "In all cases, those countries with solid health infrastructures and efficient mechanisms for reaching vulnerable populations will be in the best position to cope."
Issues on the agenda of the Health Assembly include pandemic influenza preparedness; sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines; poliomyelitis; the harmful use of alcohol; female genital mutilation; climate change; the International Health Regulations; counterfeit medical products; smallpox virus stock; and public health, innovation and intellectual property.

Two invited speakers will address the Health Assembly this afternoon: Princess Muna Al Hussein of Jordan, WHO's patron for nursing and midwifery in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region and Archbishop Emeritus of Capetown, Desmond Tutu, who is actively involved in the fight against diseases in his country and outside.