A major push to accelerate progress on primary health care (PHC) was emphasized at a side event during the seventy-eighth World Health Assembly in Geneva on 20 May 2025. Health leaders from around the world convened to reinforce political commitment and the importance of cross-country collaboration to advance PHC.
Held at the Palais des Nations, the event titled "Implementing primary health care: Building momentum through the Global Coalition of Countries on PHC" was co-hosted by Kazakhstan, Brazil, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Hungary, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Moderated by Dr Suraya Dalil, Director of the WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care (SP-PHC), the gathering highlighted the importance of a country-led coalition to drive sustainable PHC-oriented reforms.
Opening remarks by Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, outlined the critical importance of PHC at the centre of all efforts to build a healthier and fairer world, stressing the urgency of mobilizing countries across the world to join the global movement for PHC political commitment. This paved the way for a keynote by Timur Sultangaziyev, First Vice Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He underscored the Coalition's goal to provide high-level political leadership led by Member States, as well as sustained advocacy to mobilize global action and investment in PHC. He noted that 18 countries from around the world1 have already joined the Coalition, signaling growing global commitment. He extended an open invitation to all Member States and partners.
A dynamic panel discussion followed, with participation from Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, along with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and UNICEF. Each of the country speakers addressed the importance of political will in sustaining PHC reforms turning to their unique contexts in shining a light on key issues. Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director of PAHO, highlighted how regional collaboration has reinforced political commitment for PHC in the Americas. Dr Fouzia Shafique, Associate Director for Health at UNICEF, stressed the need for strong, community-centered partnerships and evidence-based dialogue.
A technical update by Dr Shams Syed, Unit head of Policy and Partnerships at SP-PHC, and Dr Faraz Khalid, Evidence and Innovation technical lead of SP-PHC, highlighted WHO's support for the Global Coalition as part of its broader work on PHC. Referencing the WHO-UNICEF operational framework for PHC, they explained that political commitment and leadership form the foundation for PHC transformation. They outlined WHO's actions including cross-country learning, leadership development, technical convergence, consolidating country experiences, investment guidance, and harnessing compassion to lead change. The discussion also emphasized the importance of navigating the political economy of PHC reforms.
High-level representatives from Canada, France and Hungary shared their reflections on why the Coalition is critical to drive PHC implementation, stressing the need for sustained collaboration and shared learning.
Dr Suraya Dalil closed the event by reaffirming WHO's commitment to PHC as the bedrock of health systems worldwide to achieve UHC and health security.
As countries face an evolving landscape of health challenges, the Global Coalition of Countries on PHC stands as a unifying force–ensuring momentum continues in the pursuit of health for all.
