flag banner

September 27, 2019: Parallel Event for UNGA

Theme: Achieving SDG3 and Universal Health Coverage: Innovative pRojects, Policies and Financing Models to Reach Those Left Furthest Behind

Date: Friday, 27 September
15:00-18:00 PM (3PM-6PM)
Location:  UN headquarters, Conference room 7
 
Description:
This side-event, hosted by the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations with the support of the Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone and co-sponsored by the Missions to the United Nations of the United Arab Emirates Canada and the Peoples Republic of China, with WHO, the UN Major Group for Children and Youth and others, features governments, civil society, the private sector and other multi-stakeholders working towards accelerating progress on attaining Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Ensuring Health and Wellbeing for All,” of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), by serving those left furthest behind, through policies and models of programs that leverage innovative approaches, financing and partnerships in health.
 
 
TITLE: Achieving SDG 3 and Universal Health Coverage: Innovative Projects,
Policies and Financing Models to reach those left furthest behind
 
Main sponsor: Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, with the
support of the Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone
 
Mission co-sponsors: Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United
Nations, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations;
Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations, Permanent Mission of Georgia to
the United Nations
 
Co-Sponsors:
World Health Organization (WHO)
United African Congress (UAC)
International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP)
The UAE “SDGs in Action,” SDG3 Global Council (SDG3 GC)
The UAE “SDGs in Action,” Finance Cluster Group
United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY)
Psychology Coalition of NGOs accredited at the United Nations (PCUN)
Mission & Co, a member of UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency (PSC)
 
OBJECTIVES:
This side-event features governments, civil society, the private sector and other multistakeholders working towards accelerating progress on attaining Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Ensuring Health and Wellbeing for All,” of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), by serving those left furthest behind, through policies and models of programs that leverage innovative approaches, financing and partnerships in health.
 
Specific objectives are to:
1) Emphasize the importance of new models for people-centered approaches that leverage innovative design implementation and financing methods, to achieve Goal 3 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
 
2) Promote efforts of governments/United Nations Member States and civil society organizations, and partnerships, committed to UHC and to SDG3, about health and mental health.
 
3) Showcase innovative concrete implementations, e.g., the Sierra Leone International Health and Research Medical Center Project of the Maada Fatima Bio Foundation Sierra Leone (MFBF-SL), also intended to serve the neighboring countries of Liberia, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire in the Medical Centre Project for the Mano River Union.
 
4) Present projects that can be scaled up, e.g., the “Health in Your Hands” (HIYH) initiative of the SDG3 Global Council of the UAE’s “SDGs in Action” campaign, a platform identifying innovative last mile solutions targeted at providing health outcomes for marginalized populations and those in remote and hard-to-reach settings, particularly in fragile and vulnerable states; and the Ebola Coalition, a grassroots project of health education, community engagement, risk communication, and psychosocial support for communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) facing the current Ebola outbreak, and declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO.
 
5) Highlight policies that support the health goals and targets, in particular for women and for disabled persons.

6) Introduce innovative financing models, e.g., the Ethio-American Health Medical City in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a health complex being built as a private initiative funded by the Ethio-American Doctors Group (EADG) to provide comprehensive medical care in a bricks and mortar facility, and plans for community outreach to those left furthest behind, that is currently attracting interest from banks and other parties.

7) Engage multi-stakeholders in this effort, consistent with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, e.g., Member States, United Nations agencies, the private sector, academia and civil society.

8) Include the voice of youth in the achievement of SDG 3 targets and UHC.
 
This side event builds on previous events and progress by co-sponsors that have addressed the achievement of SDG3 and UHC, namely, (i) A side event at the United Nations on “Reaching Higher Standards of Health & Well-Being through Cultural Engagement, Empowerment & Inclusion,” held on 12 June 2019 during the 12th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD, hosted by WHO and co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Norway and of Sierra Leone to the United Nations as well as the Office of the First Lady of Sierra Leone, ECOSOC-accredited NGOs, and other partners in the current side event; (ii) the “soft launch” of the “Heath in Your Hands” (HIYH) initiative at the World Health Assembly in May 2019, with the call for partnerships and innovation; (iii) the advocacy of the United Nations Major Group of Children and Youth and the International Association of Applied Psychology about the importance of including mental health in primary health care, during the negotiations of the Astana Declaration in October 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan, at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care.
 
The event clearly follows the 23 September UHC Summit, and, as such is intended to present the outcome of that agreement and its implications for health and mental health care for all.
 
The topics addressed at this side event are aligned with the goals and targets of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and with those of Universal Health Coverage. The event underscores that the goal of governments, civil society, the private sector and all stakeholders must be to protect and promote physical and mental well-being for all, given that holistic health is both a driver and an outcome of progress. Such a view is at the center of the collective vision of a more sustainable, inclusive and prosperous world envisioned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), that addresses gaps in service coverage and financing that disproportionately affect at-risk, vulnerable and marginalized populations at the last mile who have the last access. The latter includes women and girls, and disabled persons.
 
BACKGROUND
This side event is inspired by projects of the First Lady of Sierra Leone, the Ethio-American Doctors Group, the “Health in Your Hands” initiative of the UAE’s “SDGs in Action” SDG3 Global Council (described in more detail in the Addendum below) and the Ebola Coalition, as well as models that set health as a priority in national plans to reach those left furthest behind. Further, it is inspired by progressive policy efforts of countries, including Sierra Leone, regarding the health sector. The UHC Summit and the General Assembly are critical opportunities to emphasize the importance of health in the global agenda. SDG 3 has been recognized as not only a stand-alone goal but also as cross-cutting in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. The critical role of engaging many multi-stakeholders in this process has been recognized, specifically bringing together government/member states, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector and academia, and all actors who play a critical role in implementing projects on the ground to reach those left furthest behind. The critical role of the private sector in realizing these efforts has been recognized both in the language of UHC and also in the establishment of networks of cross-sector collaboration by UHC2030.
 
Further, the voice and role of youth in the SDG process and implementation is particularly important, as statistics show that up to two thirds of the population of some nations are under age 30 and that children, adolescents and youth are among the most vulnerable populations.
 
ADDENDUM: The “SDGs in Action” initiative of the United Arab Emirates Significant efforts have been made on the global stage to mobilize the highest political support for UHC. One such effort is the “SDGs in Action” initiative of the United Arab Emirates, that commits to the implementation of the SDGs, including SDG3 that focuses on Ensuring Health and Well-being, as the cornerstone in this objective. The “SDGs in Action @WGS” initiative was launched in 2016 at The World Government Summit (WGS), the largest global platform highlighting future trends in government services, leadership, and innovation, bringing together over 4,000 leaders, policymakers, academics, and representatives from international organizations from over 125 countries, to exchange innovations and experiences and to build strong collaborations. The collaborating organizations include the United Nations, World Bank, OECD and other partners. Global Councils (GC) on the SDGs, including GC3 on “Health and Well-being for All,” were formed with high-level experts and frontline innovators.
 
The inaugural SDGs in Action @WGS in 2016 focused on the role of monitoring, reporting and financing implementation of the SDGs. The event in 2017 explored Science, Technology and Innovation-driven solutions to accelerate implementation of the goals, with outcomes shared during the United Nations Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation in May, 2017, at the United Nations New York headquarters, including a presentation of the “Health in Your Hands” initiative that had won the award for the most innovative project at the WGS 2017. SDG3 Global Council members are leading global health experts and frontline innovators from regions around the world, committed to advance collaborative action towards the achievement of SDG3 in the 2030 Agenda. These include individuals from WHO, the Gates Foundation, Harvard University, Columbia University Teachers College, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency member Mission & Co, ECOSOCaccredited NGOs, e.g., the International Association of Applied Psychology, and the World Public Health Association.
 
PROGRAMME 
Opening segment: (3 min.)

Call to order/Opening Remarks: Moderator – Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Columbia
University Teachers College, International Association of Applied Psychology (3 min.)
High Level Segment

Welcoming remarks (5 min): World Health Organization, representative

Plenary Presentation/Keynote Address (20 min.): First Lady Mde. Fatima Maada Bio of Sierra Leone with Dr. Alper Tunga Demirarslam, MD, Assistant Professor, Board Member of Istanbul Okan University, Turkey; Project Director of the First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA, and Dr. Mark S. Johnson, co-chair, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA; Professor and Chair, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Howard University School of Medicine; the Sierra Leone International Health and Research Medical Center Project of the Maada Fatima Bio Foundation Sierra Leone and the Medical Centre Project for the Mano River Union.

Statement: Mission Co-sponsors (3 min.) 

  • Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations
  • Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations; H.E. Ambassador Mr. Wu Haitao, Deputy Permanent Representative of the
    People’s Republic of China to the United Nations
  • Mission of Canada to the United Nations

Ambassador Comments on Health and Mental Health (3 min. each)

  • H.E. Ambassador Toshiya Hoshino, Deputy Permanent Representative, Mission of Japan to the United Nations
  • H.E. Ambassador Sidique Wai, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the United States

Interview: Integrating National and International Levels of Health Policy and Financing (10 min.); Interviewer: Pradeep Kakkattil, Director, Office of Innovations, Geneva, UNAIDS

Panelists:
*Dr. Alpha Tejan-Wurrie, Minister of Health and Sanitation of The Republic of Sierra Leone
*Dr. Mariam Jashi, Chair of the Committee of Parliament of Georgia, former President of the Leading Group on Innovative Financing, and former Deputy Health Minister of Georgia and
*Dr. Tamar Tchelidze, co-facilitator, UHC Political Declaration

Health Policy Progress by States (7 min. each)
• Universal Health Coverage and Women: H.E. Ambassador Pennelope Beckles, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United
Nations & President, Executive Board of UNWomen
• Universal Health Coverage and Disability: H.E. Ambassador Victoria Sulimani, Deputy Permanent Representative/Political Affairs, Mission of the
Republic of Sierra Leone to the United Nations and Mr. Joseph Y. Fofanah, Administrative Assistant and Disability Coordinator, Sierra Leone Embassy in Washington D.C.

Innovative Health Partnerships & Implementations (6 min. each)
• “SDGs in Action” and the Global Councils inter-linkages. UAE. Dr. Radheya AlHashmi, Director of Policy Impact Department, Strategy and Innovation Sector, United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Prime Minister’s Office
• The “Health In Your Hands” initiative. Dr. Shariha Khalid Erichsen, Managing Partner, Mission & Co
• The Ebola Coalition for Health Education and Psychosocial Support. United Africa Congress (Gordon Tapper), Friends of the Congo (Bibi Ndala) and HaltEbola (Pastor Kaereka Kasomo)

Innovative Health Financing Models (7 min. each)
• The Ethio-American Doctors Group, EADG Healthcare City Centre, PLC. Dr. Mohammed Nurhussein, Member of the Board, Ethio-American Doctors Group, Inc.; Professor Emeritus of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center; Chairman, United African Congress
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB): Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, M.D., Under Secretary General for Partnerships at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) and Dr. Walid Abdelwahab, Director General, Country Relations and Services, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group
• USAID. Irene Koek, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Global Health, Washington D.C.; Utkrisht Development Impact Bond for maternal and child health
• SDGs in Action Finance Cluster Opportunities for Impact Financing in Health Dr. Claire Brolan, Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland, Australia

Commentary/Intervention (3 min. each):
• UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency, Joint Private Sector Statement on UHC, Chris Gray, Senior Director, Global Health & Patient Access, Pfizer
• United Nations Major Group on Children and Youth, Lucy Fagan, Chair, Commonwealth Youth Health Network
• Sierra Leone Youth Delegate, Isaac Bayoh

Q and A with the audience (10 min.)
CLOSING/CALL TO ACTION (4 min.) TBA

With appreciation:

  • Embassy of Sierra Leone to the United States, Washington D.C.
  • Dr. Fouad Sheriff, CEO, Cotton Tree Medical Group;
  • Chair, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA
  • Dr. Feremusu Kamara, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Howard University School of Medicine;
  • Co-chair, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA
  • Dr. Mark S. Johnson, Professor and Chair, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Howard University School of Medicine;
  • Co-chair, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA
  • Dr. Alper Tunga Demirarslam, Assistant Professor, Board Member of Istanbul Okan University, Turkey; Project Director, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA 
  • Mr. Mohamed Kosia, Advisor, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA
  • Ms. Mine Anlar, President, World of Travel; Vice President, MUSIAD USA; Advisor, First Lady of Sierra Leone Mde. Fatima Maada Bio Medical Center and Research Group, USA
  • Mr. Tony Morgan, Communications Director, Office of the First Lady Mde. Fatima Maada Bio 
  • Hon. Dr. Francis Kaikai, Minister of Economic Development and Planning, Republic of Sierra Leone
  • HE Victoria Sulimani, Deputy Permanent Representative, Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the United Nations
  • Roselynn Finda Senesi, First Secretary, Mission of the Republic Sierra Leone to the United Nations
  • Isaac Bayoh, Youth delegate, Mission of the Republic Sierra Leone to the United Nations
  • Dr. Shariha Khalid Ericksen, Managing Partner, Mission & Co; co-founder, “Health in Your Hands”; Team Assistants
  • Leader: Bibi Ndala, Friends of the Congo, New York Director, Ebola Coalition Columbia University Teachers College students in Dr. Judy Kuriansky’s class, “Psychology and the United Nations”: