24 June 2020 – It has been noted that maintaining the provision of quality essential health services, including reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), has been a critical challenge in the COVID-19 response for many countries. The UN agencies (UNOSSC, UNFPA, UNICEF and PAHO/WHO) jointly organizaed a webinar recognizing the urgent need to effectively respond to the pressing requirements of countries in the South in a post-COVID world as part of the broader efforts to build back better, including designing responses to address the stark inequalities and exclusion to leave no one behind.
The webinar gathered a panel of representatives from the government and youth from countries in the South: China, Dominican Republic, Nigeria, Sudan, Suriname and Tajikistan. The speakers discussed how countries can work together to overcome challenges by benefiting from the knowledge and experiences of each other. In addition, the panelists provided insights on how countries can continue to remain on track to deliver the 2030 Agenda in the Decade of Action. The overall aim of this webinar was to enable a global exchange of experiences to improve the effectiveness of the interventions and to enable UN agencies to both identify and respond to the expectations and needs of countries in tackling the challenges of COVID-19 in post-recovery.
Objectives
- Generate awareness among UN agencies about the expectations of Member States from countries of the South as to how agencies can best provide a response and support in a post-COVID-19 context.
- Describe the role and potential of South-South and triangular cooperation in strengthening health systems in order to achieve RMNCH goals
Agenda
- Opening Remarks: Mr. Jorge Chediek, Envoy of the Secretary General on South-South Cooperation and Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)
- Panel Discussion – Moderated by Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang, Deputy Director, UNOSSC
- Ms. Michelle Belfor, Youth Advocate, Suriname
- H.E Dra. Margarita Cedeño Lizardo, Vice President, Dominican Republic
- Mr. Ghafur Muhsinzoda, First Deputy Minister for Health and Social Protection of the Population, Tajikistan
- Dr. Shahinaz Bedri, Director General, National Public Health Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Sudan
- Dr. Sanjo Oladepo Faniran, Deputy Director in charge of Human Capital, Social Dev. Division, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Nigeria
- Mr. Hu Hongtao, Advisor on South-South Cooperation, National Health Commission, China
- Q&A
- Closing Remarks – Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang