UGANDA CHAIRS MEETING OF MINISTERS OF HEALTH OF THE NON- ALIGNED MOVEMENT
Hon Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health chaired a Meeting of Ministers of Health from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Tuesday, 13 May 2025. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the World Health Assembly. The meeting provided an opportunity for NAM to further collaborative efforts, share experiences and reflections on the global threats posed by health epidemics within the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The meeting was attended by Ministers, the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Executive Director of the South Centre, Dr Carlos Correa and other senior officials. In her remarks, delivered virtually, Hon Aceng reminded that NAM leaders at the summit in Kampala in January 2024, expressed their concern at the global threat posed by health epidemics, such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Ebola, and other communicable diseases and underlined the need for deeper cooperation and partnerships to to confront and combat them.
She noted that the timing of the meeting was pivotal after Experts had completed work on a draft Pandemic Agreement, that aims to strengthen global collaboration on prevention, preparedness and response to future pandemic threats, to be considered by Ministers at the World Health Assembly. She called on NAM member states to support the adoption of the Agreement emphasizing that equity must be the cornerstone of the new treaty, ensuring that every nation, every community, and every individual—irrespective of geography or economic standing—is protected. She urged the membership to support a strong and operational Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing System (PABS) which ensures resources are allocated efficiently and equitably, without delay, to where they are needed most.
In his remarks the Director General of WHO, while thanking member states for their support to the organization, called on them to support the Pandemic Agreement, which will be a landmark instrument of international law to address gaps in global health security exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He highlighted the financial challenges the organization was facing and sought support for the Programme Budget for the 2026-2027 biennium and the new assessed contributions to ensure the long-term financial sustainability and independence of WHO. The Executive Director of the South Centre stated that for developing countries, which have historically faced structural barriers, technological exclusions and scarcity of resources, the upcoming Assembly can not be just one more turning point, but a moment for assertion of their rights and priorities. He added that global public health should not be held hostage to unilateral decisions and domestic political calculations and urged all countries to reaffirm a commitment to a multilateral system governed by the WHO.
Delegations shared experiences on significant progress in strengthening their health systems calling on the NAM to continue to promote cooperation, the exchange of good practices, and technical and financial support so that we can overcome challenges and move towards more equitable, resilient, and sustainable health systems. Uganda was commended for convening the
meeting. The meeting adopted a statement in: "support for Cuba’s international medical cooperation", in recognition of its contribution to global development.
