This is a watershed year for development. As we measure progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals over the past 15 years, planning is already underway towards creating the architecture of a new global development framework. In her 2015 Commonwealth Lecture, the administrator of the UN Development Programme, Helen Clark, referred to the proposed configuration of the new agenda, with goals grouped under the headings of dignity, people, planet, prosperity, partnerships and justice. She described these as the six essential elements of an agenda for human and sustainable development that would enable nations to grow and develop in inclusive ways within the boundaries set by nature. Public health has the greatest impact on the dignity of people individually and in community, and is a core component in bringing about social, economic and environmental development. It is the highest collective priority for all member states of the Commonwealth. Our citizens inevitably raise their expectations of health care systems in terms of quality and access, and our Commonwealth Charter recognises the necessity of access to affordable health care, and emphasises the importance of promoting health and well-being in combating communicable and non-communicable diseases. To achieve substantive and sustainable transformation globally there needs to be progress on health indicators in all societies. In this year when we celebrate ‘A Young Commonwealth’, we are also aware that longer life expectancies mean we need to pay greater attention to aspects of ageing and good health. Citizens of all ages and backgrounds should be able to enjoy active and fulfilling lives, with the opportunity to share equitably in social, economic and technological advancements. This publication brings together valuable insights from a wide range of Commonwealth perspectives on the provision of universal health coverage in the context of a post-2015 sustainable development framework. Consideration is given to a broad spectrum of health issues that concern Commonwealth citizens, and where mutual support and collective action by our member states can make a difference. Our co-operation and collaboration on these, as on many other areas of shared concern, achieve impact and bring change at both local and global level, thanks to the personal links and institutional networks that are such distinctive features of the Commonwealth connection. Important and highly commendable aspects of this work have been carried forward for many years by our Commonwealth family of organisations for health professionals. By bringing together expert analysis of health systems in our member states with data on health outcomes, Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 helps us to understand the context within which we strive to make progress, and inspires us afresh to utilise the immense potential and goodwill of the Commonwealth to bring transformative change in the lives of our citizens. Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015 7 Foreword Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General
Commonwealth Health Partnerships 2015
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