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Remarks on Accelerating Multi-Sectoral and Multi-Stakeholder Action and Investments for Achieving UHC

ADM Brett P. Giroir, M.D.
United Nations General Assembly
September 23, 2019
New York, NY

Communities are at the heart of prevention, health promotion, and can help effectively manage health conditions when they arise.

As Prepared for Delivery

The United States government shares the aspiration of increasing access to health care for people cross the life course. Any lasting solution to the challenges of health promotion and improving health care will require collaboration across all parts of society.

Our approach to improving UHC draws on the multifaceted strengths and resources of the public and private sectors, promoting partnerships inclusive of civil society, NGOs, faith- and community-based organizations; partnerships that increase the availability, quality, affordability and sustainability of health care in systems aligned with national contexts and priorities.

Multi-sector engagement, value-based care, people-centered care, and health workforce capacity building illustrate just a few pieces of the much larger access to health care puzzle. Efforts like KidneyX, a public-private partnership between our Department of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Nephrology, can accelerate innovation to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses like kidney disease by leveraging partner capacities and developing breakthroughs for patients and their families.

Communities are at the heart of prevention, health promotion, and can help effectively manage health conditions when they arise. By forging better connections between health systems and social services at the community level, we believe significant improvements and savings can be achieved and accelerate progress towards UHC.

Investing in the treatment of sickle cell disease as part of universal health coverage is a tangible example of how health investment leads to strengthened primary care and community services. More than one hundred million people are estimated to have sickle cell disease, the majority in Africa, where most children born with sickle cell disease will die young or lead short lives characterized by immense pain. Diagnosis and treatment are simple and relatively cheap and can change the health, economics, and quality of life of millions. The most effective way to reach these patients is through integrating treatment directly into primary health systems within local communities, which requires collaboration across public and private sectors.

It is heartening to see so many governments, civil society organizations and private sector entities actively participating in this high-level meeting in UHC and calling for action across sectors to invest in health. I'd like to challenge each of us here today to seek out innovative collaborations that will help us move forward on our shared goals to improve health and wellbeing for all.

Content created by Speechwriting and Editorial Division 
Content last reviewed on October 8, 2019