Elevating Global Health: The Momentum of the UN High-Level Meetings 2023

Department of Epidemiology Seminar Series

Open to the public

Speaker:

Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach
Federal Minister of Germany for Health
Adjunct Professor, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Abstract:

This year marks a significant crossroads at the midway point of the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is accompanied by the convergence of three UN High-Level Meetings with a specific focus on health-related agendas. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated serious shortcomings in pandemic readiness, indicating the need to better prepare for future health emergencies. In adopting the Political Declaration at the UN High-Level Meeting, the world community will reaffirm their commitment to strengthen and support pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The UN High-Level Meetings on Tuberculosis and Universal Health Coverage present an opportunity to collectively accelerate progress towards ending the TB epidemic by 2030 and achieving universal health coverage, including the provision of essential health services for everyone. As such, the 2023 UN High-Level Meetings provide an excellent opportunity for political leaders to maintain political momentum, enhance global solidarity and place these pressing health issues high on the global political agenda.