World Leaders to Declare Historic Commitment to Primary Health Care and Health for All

The World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Government of Kazakhstan will co-host the Global Conference on Primary Health Care on 25-26 October at the Palace of Independence in Astana, Kazakhstan. The conference will mark the 40th anniversary of the historic 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration on primary health care, and will unite world leaders to affirm that strong primary health care is essential to achieve universal health coverage.

What
The Global Conference on Primary Health Care will help chart a course to ensure that everyone, everywhere can access quality, affordable primary health care in their community. Country representatives will sign and ratify a bold declaration to increase investments in primary health care to advance universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Who
Attendees will include heads of state; ministers of health, finance, education and social welfare; health workers and patients; youth delegates; and leaders representing global health institutions, civil society, academia, philanthropy, media and the private sector.

Why
Investing in primary health care is one of the most effective, cost-effective and equitable strategies to improve health outcomes and advance universal health coverage. On every continent and at every income level, countries are pursuing some of their most ambitious health reforms to date to expand access to health care and transform health systems.

Programme
The conference will feature a two-day programme of six high-level plenaries, 20 parallel sessions, and partner-led side-events and exhibits. The plenary sessions will be live-streamed. Ministerial- and youth-focused events will also take place throughout the conference, including a ministerial meeting to plan for the first High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in 2019.

More information can be found here.