Resident Coordinator's speech: World Health Day 2023

Yang Berhormat Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Minister of Health Malaysia,

Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Director General of Health,

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore

Yang Berbahagia Dato' Sri Norazman Ayob, Deputy Secretary-General (Finance), Ministry of Health

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Dr Norhayati binti Rusli, Deputy Director General of Health

Excellencies,

Distinguished members of the audience, partners, colleagues and friends,

I am delighted to be here with you today, representing the UN family in Malaysia, to acknowledge and celebrate World Health Day 2023, under the theme of #HealthForAll

Today we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization, 75 years of leadership of global public health, supporting countries to attain their health goals, and serving the world’s population everywhere.

The right to health is a basic human right, and as such, progress toward Universal Health Coverage remains the primary goal of the World Health Organization.

The WHO constitution upholds the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health as one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, sex, religion, political belief, economic or social status.

This principle permeates the work of WHO and that of every agency of the United Nations System.

Health is inextricably linked to everything that we do, and results are determined by the achievement of other basic rights- including access to nutritious foods, adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation, education and safe working conditions.

Health and well-being of the population is associated with peace, security, stability, improved productivity and economic growth.

It is a core indicator for a prosperous community, society, economy, environment, and central to achieving inclusive sustainable development and the SDGs.

Malaysia has made health among its top priorities since the 1970’s, and integrated it within its development efforts to eradicate poverty, provide universal access to education, and preserve the environment and natural resources.

The significant progress in terms of poverty alleviation is closely linked to the attention given to access to affordable healthcare.

Universal Health Coverage enables people across the country’s diverse geographic areas to have access to a full range of quality health services when and where they need them, without causing financial hardship.

Achieving UHC means enabling the achievement of health as a human right. It also lies at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, which advocate a rights-based approach to ensure that health policies and programmes prioritize and benefit those furthest behind.

Inclusiveness has been a key principle throughout Malaysia’s journey, and is at the core of Malaysia Madani, alongside other key values such as care and compassion.

Holding on to these principles will ensure that the impressive economic journey and sustained economic growth of the past decades can be rebalanced to benefit the most vulnerable and help address inequality in all its forms and dimensions.

The government has adopted the SDGs and set its priorities and ambitions for the remaining years until 2030. Although progress is on track on many targets related to health, SDG3 and others, continued political commitment and partnerships will be crucial in ensuring a healthy population at all stages of life, and a healthy future generation which can thrive in a healthy environment.

We all have witnessed how health crises can reverse development gains, and how important it is to focus on prevention, communication, and foresight.

Healthy individuals are more resilient, and robust health systems are better equipped to withstand shocks. Malaysia is an excellent example of that.

The United Nations in Malaysia, through our Cooperation Framework which puts people at the center of our programs and advocacy efforts, will continue to strengthen its partnership with the government and all stakeholders, promoting a coordinated, collaborative, integrated and inclusive approach, and aiming for ambitious results. 

Given the commendable achievements of Malaysia in healthcare provision, it is important to look beyond preventing and treating disease and illness.

It is possible, going forward, to work on improving the well-being and quality of life across continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

WHO is a key partner, committed to engage and support whole-of-government whole-of-society efforts.

With 30% of the global population not able to access essential health services, and almost two billion people facing catastrophic or impoverishing health spending, WHO and the UN family as a whole are more relevant than ever and “Health For All” must be our slogan this year and beyond, until every woman and man, girl and boy, everywhere, enjoy healthy lives.

Thank you