Title

Health equity for all

Code

PR08

Session Type

Prime session

CME accreditation

Yes

ROOM/CHANNEL

Room 220 d/e/Channel 1

Date Time

01 August 13:00 - 14:00

Moderator

Jennifer KATES, KFF, United States

This session will focus on equity: equitable access to services and medicines, and equitable access to vaccines. To attain equity, we need systems for delivery and we need political will. This session investigates the role of international cooperation mechanisms and how these can help muster the political will we need to overcome entrenched systems that benefit a few to the detriment of the majority. During the COVID-19 pandemic, systems to distribute vaccines equitably were put in place quickly. But these systems failed to deliver due to nationalistic policies. What could countries do differently in the future? How much hope can we put in new production capacity for vaccines and other medicines in resource-limited settings??How can we ensure voluntary licencing and affordable pricing of new drugs? Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to ensure equity in access to health services for everyone. Service integration is another key concept designed to improve ease of access to the breadth of services a person requires throughout their lifetime. Countries must put these systems in place within their specific national contexts. The panel discussion will raise questions around how communities see UHC and integration: a road towards better access or a threat to the successes achieved through disease-specific approaches? Panellists will address the ways in which the international system may better support in-country advocacy for equity.

13:00 2 min	Introduction Jennifer KATES, KFF, United States

13:02 5 min	Keynote address Tedros ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WHO, Switzerland

13:07 7 min	Keynote remarks from the French Minister of Health and Prevention François BRAUN, Ministry of Health and Prevention, France

13:14 36 min	Panel discussion Gregg GONSALVES, Yale School of Public Health, United States Charles GORE, Medicines Patent Pool, Switzerland Fatima HASSAN, Health Justice Initiative (HJI), South Africa Cecilia CHUNG, Transgender Law Center, United States John NKENGASONG, U.S. Department of State, United States

13:50 2 min	Closing remarks Jennifer KATES, KFF, United States

13:52 8 min	CIPHER and IPHASA presentations Linda-Gail BEKKER, South Africa Yagai BOUBA, National AIDS Control Committee (CNLS), Cameroon, Cameroon Jerome GALEA, University of South Florida, United States Awa KANE, Hôpital d'enfants Albert Royer, Senegal Daniel KESSENG, Centre mere et enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya, Cameroon Anne NJOROGE, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya Phiwe NOTA, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa	Slides

AUTHOR

Alegra Wolter

SUMMARY

This session provided a rich discussion on what equity means in service delivery, treatment, vaccine and cure for HIV and other global health concerns. Speakers highlighted the unequal distribution of power and the importance of shifting the framework back to the countries and communities most impacted by HIV.

HIGHLIGHTS

Ghebreyesus (WHO) opened the session by addressing the gaps between countries, continued by Braun (France), who highlighted the importance of prevention, screening, and care being integrated into the SRHR framework – as key. However, with the billions pouring into the global AIDS response, we are still far from our 95-95-95 targets. The global architecture of resourcing continues to perpetrate inequalities, across HIV, TB, COVID-19, and now MPX (Monkeypox). As Hassan (South Africa) mentioned, “Why are we testing new science and technologies in the global south, but not guaranteeing quick deliveries of such resources in those countries?” If not worse, Gonsalves (USA) brought the irony of how poor-middle-income countries have to rely on “donations” from wealthier countries to sustain their healthcare programs. Then “Is it all about money?” asked Chung (USA), who highlighted how funding should be decided by the community as a form of empowerment. Correct data collection remained crucial in identifying marginalized communities and their needs. Nkengasong (USA) emphasised US initiatives in creating access to communities, functional health systems, and sustainable funding. Lastly, Gore (Switzerland) addressed sustainable pricing for generic medications and other tools as one of the keys to delivering equity to low-middle-income countries.

CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

Gandhi once said, "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not everyone's greed." We can have enough resources for everyone, but it should go first to the communities and countries most affected. Inequalities are real and reflected in the millions of deaths and lives affected. Health should not be a luxury nor a question of income. Instead, health equity needs to be delivered globally through tailored, fully funded, and integrated responses with a strong primary health basis and commitment to universal health coverage.