The Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage (JLN), represented by Rahul S. Reddy of Amref Health Africa, participated in the WHA79 official side event, “Domestic Leadership in Health Financing: A Dialogue with the WHO Director-General.” The session was hosted by Save the Children, convened under the WHO Civil Society Commission, with co-sponsors including the Republic of South Africa, Medicus Mundi, and World Vision International.
The event marked the third and final dialogue in the series, “Health Financing: Civil Society Perspectives on the Path to 2030,” which aimed to strengthen civil society engagement in global and national health financing discussions. It brought together WHO leadership, Member States, civil society, youth representatives, and technical experts to reflect on how countries can strengthen domestic leadership, accountability, and sustainable financing for Universal Health Coverage.
Representing Amref Health Africa and JLN, Rahul contributed a technical perspective on the importance of accountability for domestic financing, measurable spending benchmarks, and translating commitments into real progress toward UHC. His participation highlighted JLN’s role in supporting country-led learning, peer exchange, and practical implementation support across health financing, primary health care, and systems reform.
Key insights from the session emphasized that health should be treated as a strategic investment, not a cost; that domestic resource mobilization must be matched with efficient, transparent, and accountable use of resources; and that civil society must be meaningfully included in financing decisions. Participants also underscored the need to protect primary health care, improve public financial management, and strengthen financial protection in a constrained fiscal environment.
For JLN, the dialogue reinforced the importance of collaborative learning in helping countries move from policy commitments to implementation. As global attention turns toward the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, JLN remains committed to supporting countries with the peer learning platforms, practical tools, and shared experiences needed to advance equitable and sustainable health financing reforms.
