A three-day-long international academics and research summit 2022 under the theme ‘Integrating Healthcare delivery with sustainable development goals’ began at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Jamshoro on Friday.
Addressing the national and international delegates, the Vice Chancellor LUMHS. Prof Ikram Din Ujjan said that health was crucial for sustainable human development, both as an absolute human right and an essential contributor to the economic growth of society.
Health is also a good cumulative measure of the progress of nations in achieving sustainable development, he said, and added it contributes to national development through productive employment, reduced expenditure on illness care, and greater social structure. He said that the benefits of development could extend across generations by promoting good health at all ages. Investments in primary health care can promote health across all social groups and reduce health inequities within society, he added.
The Vice-Chancellor informed that the healthcare system of the country was facing the challenges of an aging population and escalating medical costs.
‘In order to meet the challenges, we need structural changes to our healthcare system to make it more sustainable and affordable, one key direction and something that is especially relevant to the medical profession to strengthen primary healthcare with quality and cost effectiveness’, he said.
Improving and performance of health systems by enhancing financial and human resources, the Vice Chancellor informed that appropriate use of technology, community empowerment, and good governance will advance this agenda. The potential for providing large-scale employment as frontline health workers, particularly to women and young persons, should be utilized to strengthen the economy and improve health services, he emphasized.
He said the health-related goals are broad enough to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. He added that the sustainable development goals declaration emphasizes that to achieve an overall health goals ‘we must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care so that no one is left behind.
This places universal health coverage at the center of the sustainable development goals as it is linked and contributes to all the other targets like poverty reduction, education, nutrition, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, sustainable energy, and safer cities, he said.
The Vice-Chancellor said, ‘We believe that universal health coverage, delivered through an effectively resourced and well-administered health system will be capable of addressing these and other health challenges’.
The universal health attention must ensure rightful access to affordable, accountable, appropriate health services of assured quality to all people’, he said adding that these must include promotive, preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative services.
The Vice Chancellor emphasized that universal health coverage should be supported by policies and services addressing the broader social and environmental factors of health for individuals and populations.
He appreciated the organizing committee of the summit including entire faculty members for their hard work, devotion, and dedication.
