Graça Machel and former Ireland envoy to visit Tanzania next week
What you need to know:
- The two former world leaders who are part of the The Elders group of independent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela which believes that access to health care is a fundamental human right and is the best way to achieve the health Sustainable Development Goal-3 set out by the UN.
- Their visit is meant to be a campaign for a Universal Health Coverage (UHC), of which they picked Tanzania after seeing it as one of the countries making progress in improving access to health care due to the current political will.
Dar es Salaam. Two members of The Elders; a group of independent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, are expected to visit Tanzania next week to campaign for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
A statement availed on Wednesday to The Citizen shows those expected in the country are the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former Education Minister of Mozambique and global advocate for health and women’s rights, Graça Machel.
The statement, released by The Elders, shows that the high profile leaders will be in Tanzania from 13-14 July to meet political leaders, civil society organizations and health professionals.
The Elders believe that access to health care is a fundamental human right and is the best way to achieve the health sustainable development goal.
Goal-3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasizes on ‘good health and well-being’ which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being for all at all ages.
“It is also crucial to ensuring women, girls and adolescents have a fair chance in life,” said the statement.
All world leaders have signed up to Universal Health Coverage as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, but now need to show political courage and determination to make it a reality.
Tanzania is a country that is already making progress in improving access to health care, and where reaching UHC is an achievable goal with the necessary political will.
As part of their programme, Mary Robinson and Graça Machel will visit a government dispensary to see for themselves the situation at the grassroots to hear from health workers, patients and other community members.
Then on 14th July, the leaders will convene a panel discussion in Dar-es-Salaam of civil society leaders to which media will be invited and encouraged to participate.
