Second Meeting of ACP Ministers of Health, 25 to 26 February 2015, Brussels, Belgium

The Ministers of Health from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries met for the Second Meeting of ACP Ministers of Health held from 25 to 26 February 2015.  The first ACP Ministers of Health meeting was held in 2007.  The meeting was preceded by the ACP Senior Health Officials’ meeting from 23 to 24 February 2015.   The main focus was to exchange views on the challenges and strategies of the health sector in the post-2015 period.

To this end, discussions were focused on strengthening health systems and the importance of countries being vigilant and prepared.  This was further emphasized in light of the Ebola outbreak in Africa and other diseases such as Malaria and Chikungunya, of which the latter remains prevalent in the Caribbean and Pacific regions. Ministers also reaffirmed the need to include health as a key item on the post-2015 development agenda.  Other health issues such as nutrition, finance predictability, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), as well as progress on the Millennium Development Goals on health were common concerns amongst the countries present and were discussed at length.

 

Representatives from international organizations such as the European Commission (EC), World Health Organization, GAVI, Global Fund and World Health Summit (WHS) gave presentations on their roles in tackling the current health issues and the resources they could offer.

 

Ministers underlined the need for member states to endorse Universal health Coverage, with sustainable financing, as the over-arching health goal of the sector amongst the proposed Sustainable Development Goals.  The Ministers also called on governments and development partners to increase their support for strengthening health systems, especially in vulnerable states.

 

Samoa was represented by the Honourable Tuitama Dr. Leao Talalelei Tuitama, Minister of Health who led the delegation, Mrs. Gaualofa Matalavea-Saaga, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health, H.E. Fatumanava Dr. Pa’olelei Luteru, Ambassador of Samoa to Belgium and Mrs. Anna Main, First Secretary.

The ACP Secretariat will now review the Ministerial recommendations and make proposals to the Committee of Ambassadors as to how some of these could be actioned under the intra-ACP envelope of the 11th EDF.