Media Advisory

The 3rd Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Health, Population and Drug Control (STC-HPDC-3)

Theme: “Increased Domestic Financing for Universal Health Coverage and Health Security for All African Citizens- Including Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced persons”.

Who: Department of Social Affairs, African Union Commission.

When: 29 July to 2 August 2019

The STC-HPDC-3 will be conducted in two parts:

A. Experts Meeting (29 July to 31st July 2019) (Parallel sessions for Health, Population and Drug Control)
B. Ministerial Meeting (1-2 August 2019)

Where: Cairo, Egypt / Triumph Luxury Hotel

Time: 9:00 am

Why: The overall objective of the STC-HPDC-3 is to undertake in-depth discussion around increased domestic financing for universal health coverage and health security, including refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and often hard to reach population. Broad areas of deliberation will include, but will not be limited to, health systems strengthening mechanisms, human resources for health, and investment in treatment of drug dependence. This year’s edition of the STC-HPD will also look into measures of diminishing the effects of forced displacement on refugees and internally displaced persons.

PARTICIPANTS

Invitees include: Ministers in-charge of Health, Population and Drug Control from respective Member States; Technical experts responsible for the sectors herein mentioned, AU Organs (such as the AUDA-NEPAD, Pan African Parliament, and the Regional Economic Communities), development partners and international organizations working in the areas herein mentioned.

Background:

The Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Health, Population and Drug Control is one of fourteen (14) STCs, defined as an Organ of the African Union in accordance with Article 5 (1) (g) of the AU Constitutive Act. The STC on Health, Population and Drug Control meets once every two (2) years.

The 3rd Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Health, Population and Drug Control (STC-HPDC-3) is scheduled to take place in Cairo, Egypt, from 29 July to 2nd August 2019 under the theme: “Increased Domestic Financing for Universal Health Coverage and Health Security for All African Citizens- Including Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced persons”.

The theme is derived from the AU theme for 2019 “The Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa” (Assembly/AU/Dec.707 (XXXI) of July 2018 on the 2019 theme of the year).

It is expected that the 3rd STC-HPDC-3 will put forth recommendations that advance the health and population agenda of the continent and that strong consideration shall be given to the health and population needs of the most vulnerable, including refuges, returnees, the internally displaced and those who have been forcible displaced.

STC-HPDC-3 will also consider the progress report of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which is an AU Specialized Technical Agency to support African countries in their efforts to ensure health security and to effectively respond to emergencies, to address complex challenges, and to build needed core capacity for the implementation of the International Health regulations (IHR).

This STC also provides an opportunity to discuss how to tackle drug misuse and substance use disorders in the context of overall health care systems. Evidence suggests many opportunities to create policies and practices that are more evidence-informed to address health and social problems related to substance misuse, thereby improving access to health care for all drug users, including refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons.

Journalists are invited to cover the opening sessions.
For media inquiries;
Ms. Afrah Thabit , Information Officer; Directorate of Information and Communication/ AU Commission/ Tel: +251911-200922; E: mail: Thabitma@africa-union.org
For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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