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“There can be no universal health coverage—a cornerstone of the sustainable development goals—without sexual and reproductive health and rights!” Impassioned words from Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNPA, during her keynote statement at the PMNCH co-sponsored side event on Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR): an essential element to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Emphasizing the importance and urgency of the topic, Dr Kanem underlined the need for health systems to be equipped to deliver essential SRHR services to all regardless of age, gender identity or ethnicity.
A vital contribution to fulfilling the SRHR agenda over the next decade and beyond will be to build consensus on how to provide an essential SRHR package of interventions that is health promotive, preventive, low cost and cost effective as well as feasible to incorporate into UHC programmes. PMNCH Executive Director Helga Fogstad pressed home this point as she welcomed participants, telling them, “We cannot let SRHR fall off the radar. We need to be clear with the evidence, with the investment case, and with the imperative of gender, rights and equality”.
A stellar group of speakers made up this noontime panel including Olivia Wigzell, Director General of the Swedish Board of Welfare; Dr Adebimpe Adibiyi, Nigeria’s Director of Family Health; Pauline Irungu, Advocacy and Policy Manager for PATH Kenya; Temitayo Erogbogbo, Director of Advocacy for MSD for Mothers; and Fila Magnus for the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning, Malaysia. Ian Askew, Director of the WHO RHR/HRP department, was the moderator.
Panelists highlighted successes, opportunities and challenges as countries make policy decisions on the inclusion of SRHR in UHC benefits packages. Challenges ranged from navigating the sensitivities of a multiethnic and multi-religious population, securing financing from the public sector, handling the logistics of service delivery on the ground, reconciling the frequent disconnect between what the beneficiary needs and what is being delivered, health workforce limitations, and – in some contexts – opposition to elements of the SRHR agenda. While acknowledging some of the issues involved, there was general agreement on key areas such as on the practicality of including those directly affected in the discussion as well as encouraging open dialogue.
In November 2019 the Government of Kenya and UNFPA will co-sponsor the Nairobi Summit, a major global conference marking the 25th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). This anniversary offers a unique opportunity to review achievements, to assess how much of the ICPD Plan of Action remains to be fulfilled and to reshape and redefine priorities in sexual and reproductive health and rights in light of the Sustainable Development Goals, the UHC movement, and a transformed global context.
Ahead of the summit, PMNCH and partners are making a concerted effort through a Global Call to Action to ensure SRHR is included in the discussion around UHC and cemented as a core element of UHC.
SRHR: an essential component to achieving UHC event was co-sponsored by PMNCH, Government of Sweden, HRP, UNFPA and Every Woman Every Child.