Philippines Leads High-Level Discussions on Importance of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Health Care Facilities
Permanent Representative Antonio M. Lagdameo welcomes members of the Group of Friends (GoF) of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities (HCF) on 26 March 2024 at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines in New York. Permanent Representative of Hungary, Ambassador Zsuzsanna Horváth (GoF Co-Chair) and World Health Organization Director Werner Obermeyer join Ambassador Lagdameo. (New York PM photo)
NEW YORK 02 April 2024 – The Philippines, as Co-Chair of the Group of Friends (GoF) in support of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities (HCF), hosted an Ambassadorial meeting of the GoF on 26 March 2024 at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines in New York.
Permanent Representative of the Philippines, Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo, welcomed GoF members and recalled the adoption in December 2023 of the UNGA resolution on WASH, waste and electricity services in HCF, which identified action areas to improve the lives of billions of people without adequate WASH services.
Ambassador Lagdameo underscored that the resolution was “just the beginning of the very important work ahead – the implementation,” and urged GoF members to continue raising the profile and awareness of WASH in HCF in various UN deliberations and contexts, including the Summit of the Future and High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance, to meet the target of universal access to WASH in HCF by 2030.
“To this end, the Philippines reaffirms its commitment to advancing the objectives and commitments of this GoF, the 2030 Agenda, and the 2018 Call of Action of the Secretary-General,” Ambassador Lagdameo emphasized.
GoF Co-Chair the Permanent Representative of Hungary, Ambassador Zsuzsanna Horváth, encouraged the GoF to “work with other Groups of Friends in areas such as water, anti-microbial resistance, neglected tropical diseases, and universal health coverage to bridge two of the most important SDGs - to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (SDG 3) and to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all (SDG 6).”
World Health Organization Director Werner Obermeyer reminded GoF members of the Group’s main objectives, through promotion of the 2018 UN Secretary-General’s Global Call to Action on WASH in HCF and the 2019 World Health Assembly resolution to support achieving universal access by 2030.
Representatives of GoF members — Poland, Slovenia, Nepal and Thailand — expressed strong support for the Group’s 2024 work program and proposed recommendations to enhance collaboration with other UN agencies and offices, expand GoF membership, and explore the linkages between WASH in HCF with climate change and humanitarian contexts.
The GOF in support of WASH in HCF was launched in December 2021, with the Philippines and Hungary as Co-Chairs, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The GoF was established noting that investing in water, sanitation and hygiene is a necessary foundation for healthy and productive populations and is a key intervention in preparedness and ensuring strengthened health systems.
The Philippines and GoF members shepherded UN General Assembly resolution on “Sustainable, safe and universal water, sanitation, hygiene, waste and electricity services in health care facilities” which was adopted by consensus in December 2023 with the support of WHO. END
Representatives from GoF members Poland, Slovenia, Nepal and Thailand joins meeting organizers, Permanent Representative Antonio M. Lagdameo (Philippines), Permanent Representative Zsuzsanna Horváth (Hungary) and Director Werner Obermeyer (World Health Organization)during the meeting of the GoF of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in health care facilities (HCF) on 26 March 2024 at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines in New York. (New York PM photo)
For more information, visit https://www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.un.int/philippines or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/.