Advancing universal health coverage and health security through private health sector engagement: meeting report, Cairo, Egypt, 15-17 July 2024

Overview

Within the health sector, private sector engagement (PSE) is recognized as critical to the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC), specifically Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17. In resolution WHA63.27 of the Sixty-third World Health Assembly, Member States recognized the need to strengthen the capacity of governments to constructively engage and regulate the private sector in providing essential health-care services. The resolution does not prescribe an approach to PSE as such but recommends building the evidence base and productive exchange of experiences between Member States. In line with WHO’s transformation agenda, WHO colleagues from the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Headquarters organized a three-day inter-regional meeting on advancing universal health coverage and health security through private health sector engagement. This was WHO’s first global meeting on PSE and included participants from five of the six WHO regions.