BELGRADE, (Pakistan Point News - 15th Oct, 2019) During the meeting of the 141st Assembly and the 205th Session of the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, in Belgrade, the participants of the Third Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights approved the proposal of the UAE Parliamentary Division of the Federal National Council, FNC, related to implementing universal health coverage by 2030.
In his speech during the meeting, FNC member Faisal Hareb Al Zabahi, Member of the UAE Parliamentary Division, said that the UAE’s proposal to provide medical services for children, women and adults was accepted.
The members of the committee, which is one of the IPU’s standing committees, will then submit the proposal to the General Assembly for further approval, reflecting the success of the UAE’s parliamentary diplomacy during its participation in the work of the union, which is the oldest and largest parliamentary institution in the world, he added.
Al Zabahi further added that the decision was made after the proposal was submitted to various parliamentary divisions, affirming that it reflects the UAE’s vision and its success in providing universal health services.
According to the decision and its explanatory memorandum, providing universal health coverage, which is key to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, was prioritised, as at least half of the world's population lack universal health coverage and basic health services.
Health expenditures have also pushed 100 million people into extreme poverty, with their daily income being under US$1.90 or less. More than 800 million people, about 12 percent of the world's population, spend at least 10 percent of their household budget on healthcare.
Representatives of parliaments participating in the meeting presented the experiences of their countries related to the proposal, titled, "Achieving Universal Health Coverage." These countries are Slovenia, Sweden, Cyprus, Kuwait, Thailand, Iraq, Korea, Pakistan, Burundi, India, Australia, Libya, Armenia, Morocco, Congo, Uganda, Cuba, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.
