The strategic plan has an ambitious triple billion target. Here’s what it all means
Last week at the World Health Assembly delegates agreed an ambitious new strategic plan for the next five years.
According to the organization, its 13th General Programme of Work (GPW) is designed to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on SDG3: ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages by 2030.
Here are the three targets that were set
The assembly wants to ensure that by 2023, 1 billion more people benefit from universal health coverage.
Another target aims to ensure that 1 billion more people are better protected from health emergencies.
A third target seeks to ensure that 1 billion more people enjoy better health and wellbeing.
If the organization is able to achieve this “triple billion” target, WHO estimates that it could save 29 million lives.
Addressing the Health Assembly, Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told delegates that the new strategic plan was ambitious because “it must be”.
Delegates noted that the Organization will need to make a number of strategic shifts in order to achieve these targets, notably to step up its public health leadership; focus on impact in countries; and ensure that people can access authoritative and strategic information on matters that affect people’s health.
The World Health Assembly is attended by delegates from WHO Member States as well as representatives from many agencies, organizations, foundations and other groups that contribute to improving public health. Member States approved resolutions in committee before formally adopting them in the plenary session at the end of the Health Assembly, on 26 May.