79th WHA Constituency Statements
Distinguished delegates,
Primary health care is the foundation of resilient, equitable health systems and essential to delivering universal health coverage and an effective response to NCDs and mental health across the lifecourse. Yet health promotion and NCDs, the leading cause of death, remain poorly integrated into PHC systems,
We urge Member States:
To integrate NCD prevention and care into PHC and health benefit packages, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care, ensuring effective referral pathways across levels of care and allied health services.
To implement the target set in the 2025 Political Declaration on NCDs and mental health, to ensure 80% of PHC facilities in all countries have affordable availability of WHO-recommended essential medicines and basic technologies for NCDs and mental health conditions.
To ensure that PHC-oriented reforms are guided by current and projected disease burdens, including NCDs and informed by disaggregated data.
To ensure a people-centred approach that embeds community-based services and workforce with meaningful engagement of communities and people living with NCDs in designing, and implementing PHC services.
To increase financing and reduce financial barriers at the PHC level, avoiding out-of pocket expenses.
The road to the 2027 UHC HLM should be used to elevate PHC as a foundation and secure stronger commitments for integrated NCD prevention and care within PHC systems.