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Wellbeing Foundation Africa welcomes commitment to Universal Health Coverage at World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings


The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) has welcomed the commitment to Universal Health Coverage demonstrated at the 2018 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which concluded in Washington DC yesterday.

The WBFA attended the Spring Meetings in order to engage with World Bank Group and IMF staff, government delegations and other stakeholders to encourage support for universal health coverage and frontline health workers. The delegation also attended high-level panel events, including the flagship discussion on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), headlined by World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Tarō Asō, the Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder-President of the WBFA, commented: “Half the world’s population still does not have access to quality health services, while 100 million people are forced into extreme poverty every year due to health expenses. I therefore welcome the strong pronouncements in favour of UHC at the Spring Meetings this year and the focus on investment in human capital.”

“World Bank President Jim Yong Kim was right to highlight that significant investments need to be made in infrastructure in Africa – not just in the digital economy, but also in health infrastructure.”

 “As we experience significant demographic changes, the WBFA is part of the discussion on how we can adapt and grown health systems to ensure wellbeing and health for all.”

The WBFA's Jack Tunmore commented from Washington DC: “I was pleased to discuss the advocacy goals of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa with Dr. Tedros following his speech on Universal Health Coverage.  The WBFA welcomes the commitment of the WHO to UHC and agrees with Dr. Tedros that it is “an absolute no-brainer” and, when based on strong health systems and primary care, can not only prevent health disasters but also economic disasters.”

"The only way to deliver a demographic dividend in sub-Saharan Africa and around the world is to strengthen primary health frontlines. That is where the battles for lives are won and lost.”

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