INVESTMENT IN HEALTH CORNERSTONE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT,

GLOBAL SECURITY, SAYS SECRETARY GENERAL, IN NEW YORK REMARKS

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s opening remarks to Meeting on Global Health and the Role of the United Nations, delivered by Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, in New York, 25 October:

Thank you for that kind welcome.  My gratitude goes to the staff of the Council on Foreign Relations for co-hosting this event; to the Rockefeller Foundation for its generous support; and, above all, to all of you for taking the time to attend.  I know many of you have travelled long distances to be here.

In this room, we have a unique and rare collection of thinkers, policy-makers, activists, business leaders and scientists.  You are leaders in the work to ease the burden of disease and improve health systems around the world.

We are here because we know that global health is one of the greatest challenges of our time, but with an enormous scope for solutions.

We know that disease, slowed development and global insecurity are inextricably linked.

We know that investment in health is a cornerstone of economic growth, human development and global security.

We know that reducing maternal and child mortality, and combating AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are not only Millennium Development Goals in themselves; they are prerequisites for reaching most of the other Goals.

And we know what works.  We know how to help women deliver babies safely; we can help children live well beyond their fifth birthday; we can prevent the spread of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

This is an exciting time in global public health.  It is receiving unprecedented attention from new and powerful actors.  More than 100 health agencies and partnerships are now involved.  National Governments are working to direct health assistance more effectively to some of the world’s poorest countries and most vulnerable populations.  Donor Governments and philanthropists are working with experts on targeted diseases and thematic areas.

I welcome this heightened activity.  But it carries some risks.  The global health sphere is increasingly complex and fragmented, and there is no systemic approach to ensure coherence of action.  In addition, transaction costs are high.  Capacity is severely strained.  We need to work in a more coordinated manner, each according to our comparative advantage, to strengthen health systems.  We must move from building silos to building systems.  And systems that work for the poorest and most vulnerable.

When I served in my national Government, I saw how economic and political decisions in any given country had an overriding influence on people’s life expectancies and options for keeping healthy.

Now, as Secretary-General, I want to learn -- from you, the experts -- how Governments, working together, with our support, can enable the world’s people to lead long lives, and healthy lives.

-- How can countries work better together on diseases that cross borders and threaten us all?  How can we jointly help those countries to do so?  How much have we learnt from the emerging movements against AIDS, and the intense efforts to forestall a human influenza pandemic?

-- How can nations -- especially the poorest -- improve the life expectancy of women, on whom the very survival of our species depends?  How can I work with my UN system colleagues and all of you to ensure that women’s health receives the attention of all the world’s decision-makers, and improves, rapidly?

-- How do we help poorer countries build and sustain viable systems to promote optimal health and longer life expectancy for all people?

-- How can we better anticipate health problems that are likely to emerge in future, whether these are caused by threats to our environment, or shortages of safe drinking water?  Is this an area where the UN family can and should do more?

-- How can we ensure that the many initiatives and foundations supporting global health are accountable not only to those who finance them, but to those who are meant to benefit from their efforts?

-- How do we best bring in the expertise and access of the private sector and civil society?

-- How do we make the most of commitments for resources through initiatives such as the MDG Africa Steering Group, which I chair, or the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness?

-- How can I personally advance movement towards better and faster outcomes in all these areas?

These are just some of the questions where I hope we can make progress in our thinking.  I believe we are at a crossroads in global public health.  We have the resources and the know-how.  What we need is the will and commitment to better pool our efforts to do so.

I look to Laurie Garrett and Mary Robinson to guide our discussions today.

And I thank you once again for your participation and your counsel.  I’m sure you will have a fruitful discussion on our critical agenda, and I look forward to receiving your suggestions.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record