20-21 June 2024 || Washington DC, USA
Closing Statement of the Secretary of Health
Closing Panel
- Esteemed Guests, Participants, and Colleagues,
- The past two days have been extremely productive and I express my sincere gratitude to the World Health Organization and the World Bank for organizing this Dialogue.
- This Dialogue has imbibed in us a deeper understanding of how we can strengthen partnerships across sectors to pave the way for collaborative initiatives that will drive sustainable financing mechanisms for NCDs and mental health forward. There is a collective recognition of the imperative to,
a. Act NOW;
b. Reshape and strengthen the health systems considering the chronicity of these diseases and ensuring continuum of care along the life course;
c. Utilize existing financial mechanisms to mobilize resources and ensure financial risk protection against the costs of NCDs;
d. Generate multi-sectoral action in advancing “best buys”; and
e. Utilize the primary health care framework, and prioritize promotive and preventive measures to curb the rise of NCDs in our countries and promote the mental well-being of our people. - I was highly inspired by the keynote message of Aarathi Krishnan which underscored the current realities of our times and the enormous challenges we are facing such as climate change, wars and conflicts, changing political landscape, drastic changes in technology, disasters and demographic shifts; and the constraints and limitations of our environments and infrastructures. But the decision to ACT is within our control. We are to build systems; encourage policy dynamism that will allow reshaping and redesigning of health systems and health financing structures; and understand future harms and risks. In spite of that, indeed our imagined future is filled with hope.
- Primary health care is the key to advance NCD and mental health reforms. We need to,
a. Put in place provider payment arrangements that will enable integrated primary care delivery systems;
b. Develop and implement fiscal instruments, whether through taxes and incentives, that will address risk factors and social determinants for health;
c. Incorporate NCDs and mental health interventions in our benefit packages; and
d. Monitor out-of-pocket expenses to ensure financial risk protection and avoid catastrophic spending caused by NCDs and their complications. - The issue of NCDs and mental health IS a public health concern. We need to make a paradigm shift and put more emphasis on the application of public health tools, and invest in ensuring healthy longevity, with more years of good health and well-being over the biological lifespan. Subsequently, health promotion and population-wide prevention interventions should be prioritized in our investments and financing schemes, and should take a larger portion of the fiscal space.
- Multi-sectoral action is vital. With competing priorities and varied interests among Member States and stakeholders, it is sometimes difficult to generate enough traction and action on important issues such as NCDs and mental health. But the cost of inaction is too big for Member States and stakeholders to ignore. Through stronger collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Finance, and stakeholders we can align priorities and make a difference.
- While we are confronted with the harsh realities of the burden of NCDs, let us not view these issues through data and policies alone, but let us take a more humanistic lens, considering the human perspective and the lived experiences of individuals in all our undertaking.
- Based on our own experience, concrete policies on health financing CAN indeed facilitate transformative change in the health systems. The Philippine experience on health taxes was an arduous process, and required a lot of political will and technical expertise, but in the long run, these policies facilitated the reduction in the prevalence of smoking, generated funds for the implementation of UHC, and provided financial risk protection to millions of Filipinos, making health a tangible reality for every Filipino.
- To show our commitment, the Philippines will be contributing to the Health4Life Fund; and I am encouraging Member States to do so as well. Through the UN Health4Life Fund catalytic investments, low- and middle-income countries can be supported to reach SDG target 3.4. As we all know, “investments in NCD prevention and care are investments in the health systems of tomorrow.”
- As we close the 2nd International Dialogue on Sustainable Financing for NCDs and Mental Health, I have the honor to share that the Philippines will be hosting the 3rd International Dialogue in 2026. I look forward to welcoming you all in Manila. Until then, let us make a conscious effort to continue the conversations and discourse on this matter.
- Lastly, the argument for sustainable financing for NCDs and mental health is too hard to ignore. The human cost of NCDs and mental health conditions is too detrimental for the next generations. In the words of Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, “The youth is the hope of our future”. The global agenda on NCDs and Mental Health and the action in countries must include children and young people more explicitly. If we really care for our children and their future, we must ACT NOW TOGETHER.
- Thank you.