NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 23RD – Emanuela Del Re, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, today attended the UN’s 74th General Assembly event on universal healthcare coverage.
“Global Health must be considered as a global public good,” said Del Re. She underlined how health is, in terms of resource allocation, “the first area of intervention of the Italian Multilateral Development Cooperation”. The Vice-Minister further reminded the High-Level Assembly about Conte’s announcement made in Biarritz regarding an increase in the Italian contribution to the Global Fund against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, to be taking place over the next three years. “Our multilateral support is integrated with our bilateral actions, where Universal Health Coverage remains a priority while we implement health programs and focus on least developed countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa”.
The aim of this meeting, which was opened by the Secretary General Antonio Guterres and concluded with the adoption of a Political Declaration, is to relaunch the political ambition and progress towards universal health-care coverage, the third Sustainable Development Goal. “This constitutes the most comprehensive accord on the matter ever written. A vision for free, global healthcare by 2030” said Guterres, congratulating all Countries for their efforts which allowed for this consensus to be reached.
Del Re announced that, in response to her personal initiative, Italy will work to increase international awareness on infantile diarrhea, recognized by the World Health Organization as the second cause of death among children younger than 5 in poor countries. “Italy calls for urgent actions to facilitate educational and information campaigns (including the possible institution of a dedicated “International Day”), the involvement of supporters and allocation of funds, all aimed at ending this mortal disease through appropriate policies and interventions”. (SB@OnuItalia)