Doha Declaration on Universal Health Coverage and Emergency Preparedness

Doha, November 04 (QNA) - The Doha Political Declaration, issued Tuesday during the Second World Summit for Social Development held in Doha, affirmed the right of every individual to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

The declaration emphasized the commitment to achieving universal health coverage, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and affordable access to the highest possible level of physical and mental health and well-being for all.

It called for harnessing safe, accessible, inclusive, equitable, and affordable digital health technologies that enhance public health monitoring and enable personalized care, including through telemedicine, contributing to fair access to healthcare services.

The declaration urged the strengthening of international cooperation in technology transfer under mutually agreed terms, alongside the enhancement of resilient, comprehensive, and sustainable health systems and infrastructure.

It stressed the need to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage, particularly in developing countries, while recognizing that digital health interventions are not a substitute for functioning health systems and have significant limitations.

Furthermore, the declaration highlighted the importance of reinforcing health system resilience and ensuring equitable access to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, and other safe, affordable, effective, and quality health products and technologies, thereby guaranteeing healthy lives and promoting well-being for present and future generations.

It also emphasized improving health equity for persons with disabilities and enhancing mental health services.

The document called for mobilizing innovative and sustainable funding sources at both national and international levels, including public-private partnerships, to secure adequate social spending.

This aims to expand access to health services, strengthen integrated and resilient health systems that are inclusive, affordable, and universally accessible.

Finally, the declaration underscored the need to ensure prevention, preparedness, and strong response capacities for future pandemics and health emergencies, including by boosting local, national, and regional production capacities, infrastructure, and logistics for medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics.

 

Source: QNA