Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) opened the first interregional meeting on the governance of the private sector in health to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This first meeting of its kind convened by WHO provides a unique opportunity for key stakeholders to strategize effective governance arrangements between governments and the private sector, with the goal of ensuring that private sector activities align with health system objectives.
Held in Cairo, Egypt, from 15-18, the meeting gathers participants from 5 WHO regions (AFRO, EMRO, EURO, SEARO , WPRO) including health ministries, partners, WHO teams from global, regional, and country levels.
The role of the private sector in achieving health for all
The challenge before us, which will be front and centre for the meeting, is not so much whether countries should work more with the private sector but how to do so, given the complex mix of opportunities and risks the private sector presents.
The global pursuit of UHC and health for all faces significant challenges, with billions of people lacking access to adequate health services. WHO highlights the need to reorient health systems towards a primary health care (PHC) approach as the cornerstone of UHC. PHC is based on three core components : bringing healthcare as close as possible to people's everyday environments; empowering communities to be part of making decisions that affect their health; and action across sectors to promote and protect health. This means that governments need not only provide direct health services but also effectively govern and guide the private sector's contributions to health system goals.
The interregional meeting in Cairo serves as a venue to discussion lessons and strategies to harness the combined resources and expertise of the private and public sectors to strengthen health systems. This includes initiatives, challenges and enablers in engaging the private sector to improve health workforce capacity, enhance maternal, newborn and child health, improve access and coverage in fragile and conflict-affected settings, and optimiz supply chains, among others. Emphasis is placed on ensuring all health services are high-quality, safe, comprehensive, integrated, accessible, and affordable. This aligns with WHO's broader strategy to achieve UHC by fostering robust governance in mixed health systems.
New WHO guidance on private health sector governance
During the event, WHO also launched its latest technical guidance on the governance of the private sector in health, entitled Progression Pathway for the Governance of Mixed Health Systems. This tool aims to provide Member States with decision support and capacity-building resources to help align behaviours, capacities, and instruments with governing the public and private sectors in pursuit of UHC, health security and health systems resilience. This tool builds on the WHO Strategy report "Engaging the private health service delivery sector through governance in mixed health systems" and its technical assistance platform, the Country Connector for the private sector in health.
