WHO and Commonwealth Secretariat renew health partnership

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Commonwealth Secretariat have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a four-year term. The agreement aims to strengthen health systems and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth.

Signed by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey, the partnership focuses on four priority areas: advancing primary healthcare through innovation and digital health solutions; addressing the social, economic, and environmental determinants of health; improving health service coverage and financial protection to reduce gender and social inequities; and building sustainable, climate-resilient health systems.

The renewal builds upon a previous agreement from 2022, seeking to provide coordinated international support as nations face a convergence of health emergencies, climate change impacts, and persistent healthcare inequalities.