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Tackling preventable diseases, funding universal healthcare and guaranteeing cervical cancer screening for girls are among the topics that will be addressed by Commonwealth ministers at a major health summit.

An agreement signed today in Apia, Samoa will strengthen cooperation between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Pacific Community on healthcare.

Commonwealth health ministers concluded their one-day meeting on Sunday with agreements on universal health coverage, global security and violence prevention.

Commonwealth Health Ministers will gather for their annual meeting in Geneva on 21 May 2017, on the eve of the 70th World Health Assembly.

Deputy Secretary-General Josephine Ojiambo has urged the UK’s East African diaspora to work together to improve health care in the region. Dr Ojiambo, herself a Kenyan, told the 2nd UK-East African Healthcare Summit in London that as a physician she was heartened by in the diaspora’s commitment to make health a priority.

The Commonwealth will highlight the links between health and global security in a policy paper that outlines the role of health protection in addressing violence and achieving security.

Both the president and the prime minister of Sri Lanka took part in the launch of the Colombo Declaration to ensure better health across the Commonwealth.

By focusing on prevention rather than cure, countries – and especially least development countries – can get more bang for their buck when investing in national healthcare, advises the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Inclusive, affordable and sustainable sport is intrinsically linked with a healthy, happy and engaged population, writes Australia’s Minister for Sport, Sussan Ley, who is chairing the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting in Rio de Janeiro on 4 August.

 

Experts from across the Commonwealth met in London last week to assess health security and universal health coverage ahead of the 2016 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in May.

The Commonwealth Secretariat will work with the government of Sierra Leone to enhance its public health protection policy, particularly in the context of achieving universal health coverage.

Ministers called for greater investment to strengthen health systems in efforts to combat non-communicable diseases

Finding ways to meet the health needs of an ageing, growing population with long-term, complex illnesses will dominate discussions at this year’s CHMM.

Commonwealth Secretariat and leading health organisations discuss the current malaria situation and what needs to happen to 'Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria'