Troika (Cyprus-Singapore-United Arab Emirates)
Fourth Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development
New York, 17-19 June 2013
Statement delivered by DPR of the Republic of Cyprus
On Behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE
19 June, 2013
On
HEALTH, POPULATION DYNAMICS
Thanks to the UN Task Team for their very useful briefs. They provide a very thorough analysis and a
plethora of suggestions and information on which we the MS can build on. Co-chairs, I speak on behalf
of Cyprus-Singapore and UAE.
Health and sustainable development are inextricably interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Without
healthy, strong populations sustainable development cannot be attained and in the absence of
sustainable development health problems and diseases associated with poor environmental conditions,
unsustainable lifestyle and non viable models of economic development cannot be tackled effectively.
An essential prerequisite of poverty eradication and inclusive growth is economically productive and
healthy societies.
It is important to indicate the catalytic effect that population dynamics can have on sustainable
development if the right responsive measures are adopted. It is acknowledged for example that the
linkage between investment in education, especially for women, and population dynamics is very
important as it often results in fewer births as well as in improvements of maternal and child health.
Mr. Co-chairs, our Group would like to make 3 points with regard to this cluster:
First the unfinished business of the MDGs. Health related MDGs 4, 5 and 6 must be re-assessed in light
of new emerging health challenges and in order to fill the gaps. New qualitative, disaggregated targets
and indicators, tailored to national circumstances must be developed which should also cover
interlinkages. For example a potential target accompanied by appropriate indicators for access to
adequate, safe and nutritious food for children under the age of two can complement and update
MDG4. Maternal health is the worst performing of all MDGs and requires renewed commitment and
extra efforts to bring Goal 5 on-track. Similarly we should make an extra mile in order to achieve
universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV/AIDS which time-frame for
achievement has been missed by the international community.
Second, NCDs (non-communicable diseases) is one issue that has been left out from the Millennium
Development Agenda despite the fact that they are major causes of death worldwide and underlie
almost two thirds of all global deaths. Our group supports NCDs to be made an essential component of
the health agenda in the Post-2015 development framework. The development of SDGs and appropriate
environmental, nutritional and health indicators provides an opportunity to incorporate NCDs
prevention as a cross-cutting, multi-sectional issue.
Third, Universal health coverage (UHC) contributes to the achievement of all interrelated MDGs as it
provides access to basic health services to all people, particularly the poor and the vulnerable. We
consider very important the inclusion of universal health coverage in the new development agenda.
How it may translate into goal settings, however, will require more discussion.
This is because the path to achieving universal health coverage is complex and there is no universal
formula.
Mr. Co-chairs, the integration of health into cross-sectoral national, regional and international policies is
fundamental since factors outside the health care system often play a large role in determining one’s
health. It is important to acknowledge strong links, non-health issues have with health, when thinking
about possible health related SDGs, e.g. health and sustainable energy and transport or health and
sustainable agriculture and nutrition. Lastly, the role of adequate provision of means of implementation
in implementing the post-2015 health agenda is critically important for its successful achievement.
New York, 17-19 June 2013
Statement delivered by DPR of the Republic of Cyprus
On Behalf of Cyprus-Singapore-UAE
19 June, 2013
On
HEALTH, POPULATION DYNAMICS
Thanks to the UN Task Team for their very useful briefs. They provide a very thorough analysis and a
plethora of suggestions and information on which we the MS can build on. Co-chairs, I speak on behalf
of Cyprus-Singapore and UAE.
Health and sustainable development are inextricably interrelated and mutually reinforcing. Without
healthy, strong populations sustainable development cannot be attained and in the absence of
sustainable development health problems and diseases associated with poor environmental conditions,
unsustainable lifestyle and non viable models of economic development cannot be tackled effectively.
An essential prerequisite of poverty eradication and inclusive growth is economically productive and
healthy societies.
It is important to indicate the catalytic effect that population dynamics can have on sustainable
development if the right responsive measures are adopted. It is acknowledged for example that the
linkage between investment in education, especially for women, and population dynamics is very
important as it often results in fewer births as well as in improvements of maternal and child health.
Mr. Co-chairs, our Group would like to make 3 points with regard to this cluster:
First the unfinished business of the MDGs. Health related MDGs 4, 5 and 6 must be re-assessed in light
of new emerging health challenges and in order to fill the gaps. New qualitative, disaggregated targets
and indicators, tailored to national circumstances must be developed which should also cover
interlinkages. For example a potential target accompanied by appropriate indicators for access to
adequate, safe and nutritious food for children under the age of two can complement and update
MDG4. Maternal health is the worst performing of all MDGs and requires renewed commitment and
extra efforts to bring Goal 5 on-track. Similarly we should make an extra mile in order to achieve
universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV/AIDS which time-frame for
achievement has been missed by the international community.
Second, NCDs (non-communicable diseases) is one issue that has been left out from the Millennium
Development Agenda despite the fact that they are major causes of death worldwide and underlie
almost two thirds of all global deaths. Our group supports NCDs to be made an essential component of
the health agenda in the Post-2015 development framework. The development of SDGs and appropriate
environmental, nutritional and health indicators provides an opportunity to incorporate NCDs
prevention as a cross-cutting, multi-sectional issue.
Third, Universal health coverage (UHC) contributes to the achievement of all interrelated MDGs as it
provides access to basic health services to all people, particularly the poor and the vulnerable. We
consider very important the inclusion of universal health coverage in the new development agenda.
How it may translate into goal settings, however, will require more discussion.
This is because the path to achieving universal health coverage is complex and there is no universal
formula.
Mr. Co-chairs, the integration of health into cross-sectoral national, regional and international policies is
fundamental since factors outside the health care system often play a large role in determining one’s
health. It is important to acknowledge strong links, non-health issues have with health, when thinking
about possible health related SDGs, e.g. health and sustainable energy and transport or health and
sustainable agriculture and nutrition. Lastly, the role of adequate provision of means of implementation
in implementing the post-2015 health agenda is critically important for its successful achievement.