April 10, 2025, New York: “Advancing Health Equity: Universal Access to Health Products” side event was held to support the 58th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD58). It concurred with the observance of the World Health Day in the same week.
Event was hosted by Thailand, Uganda, World Health Organization, in collaboration with PATH, US Pharmacopeia, Management Sciences for Health, and International Federation on Ageing. TECH DP representative participated in the event.
Among the many messages at the meeting, it was frightful to know that sickle cell disease inflicts one of every fifty girls in Africa, while medicine is affordably present but not yet available to those in need. Dr. Isaac Odame, Medical Director of Global Sickle Cell Network and Professor of Paediatrics at University of Toronto, described such a situation.
Mr Deusdedit Mubangizi, Director Health Products, Policy and Standards of World Health Organization, stressed the importance of the Essential Medicines, which now celebrates its 50 years of application in universal health coverage and health equity practice.
According to WHO, Health Products include medicines, vaccines, medical devices, assistive products, blood products, and vector control products; and they are essential across all health system levels and life stages. However, globally at this point, 2 billion people lack essential medicines, and 47% have limited access to medical diagnostics.
Link to the event:
www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/04/07/default-calendar/advancing-health-equity–universal-access-to-health-products—side-events-at-the-58th-session-of-the-commission-on-population-and-development
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