• Photo galleries
• Noticias
• Social media
• Discursos y artículos de opinión
  • Discursos
    • 2013
      • “Reducing vulnerability, improving capacities and building resilience of the communities”
      • 66th World Health Assembly: Poliomyelitis: intensification of the global eradication initiative
      • 66th World Health Assembly: Strengthening national health emergency and disaster management capacities and the resilience of health systems (resolution WHA64.10)
      • 66th World Health Assembly: Drinking-water, sanitation and health (resolution WHA64.24)
      • 66th World Health Assembly: IFRC's plenary statement, agenda item 4: General discussion
      • 66th World Health Assembly: Committee A - Agenda item 13.1 and 13.2: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
      • Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction 2013 - official statement from Bekele Geleta
      • Global Vaccine Summit, Abu Dhabi 24-26 April 2013
      • Humanitarian Situation in the Mediterranean
      • The protection of livelihoods must be a core principle of responding to drought
      • "The protection of livelihoods must be a core principle of responding to drought”
      • Calling for a convention to eliminate nuclear weapons
      • The humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons - Ensuring nuclear weapons are eliminated and never used again
      • Addressing and preventing violence against women and girls in natural disasters
      • Addressing regulatory barriers to shelter for equitable assistance to the needed population
      • Restoring Family Links for Migrants
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
    • 2009
    • 2008
    • 2007
    • 2006
    • 2005
    • 2004
    • 2003
  • Artículos de opinión
• IFRC in the news
• Eventos y reuniones
• Image library
• Video Newsroom
• Centro de prensa
• Comunicados de prensa
• Press Contacts

Geneva, 20–28 May 2013
Statement by Dr Stefan Seebacher, MD, MPH, MNM
Head, Health Department
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
At the Plenary, agenda item 4: “General discussion”

Mr Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

We in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are honoured to contribute to this 66th World Health Assembly and are pleased to present our views on partnerships for universal health coverage and other global public health challenges and opportunities.

Ladies and gentlemen, last year we re-affirmed our commitment to universal health coverage. For IFRC, achieving universal health coverage is an ethical, social and economic imperative.

We called on all National Governments to implement sustainable and equitable universal health systems.

We also stated we believed it to be achievable. We have put our commitment into action through our 187 Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies and their millions of volunteers, bringing health to the most vulnerable people around the world.

Today, we are calling on the Member States:

To put Universal Health Coverage at the heart of the post 2015 development agenda

and

To provide a supportive environment for multi-sectoral partnerships including all stakeholders from Governments, Civil Society organization as well as the corporate sector to join the battle for universally accessible basic health services.

We call as well on the continuation of all efforts to include health in all government policies.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are facing a wide range of threats caused by communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and emerging and re-emerging diseases. In addition we have the unique opportunity to work together and end the battle against polio and other diseases.
 
We in the IFRC with our members are ready to support this global effort with our millions of volunteers at the community level, bringing government efforts to the most vulnerable people at community level.

Thank you.