Global Conference on PHC was held in Astana

Astana, October 22 – 26, 2023 – Global Conference on Primary Health Care (PHC), dedicated to the 45th Anniversary of the Alma-Ata and Fifth Anniversary of the Astana Declarations on PHC, as well as the 73rd session of the Regional Committee for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO) were held in Astana.

President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime-Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge, including number of ministers of health, prominent figures, as well as experts in the field of health, etc participated to these events.

President Tokayev noted the special importance of the Alma-Ata and Astana Declarations in improving the international health system and providing Primary Health Care and proposed to create a Coalition of countries on Primary Health Care.

On 23 October on the sidelines of the Conference, meeting between the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kairat Omarov and the Director of the WHO Special Program on Primary Health Care Suraya Dalil was held. The parties discussed the initiative to create an International Coalition in support of PHC, noted the need to maintain political dynamics and maximize the potential of PHC, and discussed the ways to expand the partnership between Kazakhstan and WHO in Geneva and New-York.

During the meeting of the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, topical issues of the health sector were discussed, including issues of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, combating infectious and non-infectious diseases, responding to health emergencies, the formation of regional strategies, etc.

For reference: The Regional Committee for Europe is the governing body of WHO at the level of the European Region, held annually with the participation of 53 member States, by the invitation of one of the participating countries or at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen.

As a result of the event, resolutions, decisions, strategic programs for the further development of healthcare in the European region are being adopted, and the WHO budget for the coming years is being considered.