Pretoria - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Monday that the United Nations (UN) had appointed South African President Zuma to co-chair a new high level commission that focuses on health employment and economic growth.
Ban said the UN had established this commission to “stimulate the creation of new employment opportunities in the health sector across all countries, especially in least developed countries.”
The new commission would be formally launched in Lyon, France, on March 23.
Zuma, in a statement responded to his appointment, saying: “I would like to commend the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, for establishing the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Development, and I am humbled by his invitation for me to serve as co-Chair of this Commission with President François Hollande of France.”
He acknowledged how “growing health workforce shortages is a particular challenge for all developing countries, including South Africa”.
He stated that the commission’s focus “goes to the heart of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which we adopted in September last year, and which could go a long way in helping to address the triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality”.
“I therefore welcome and appreciate this opportunity to work with my Co-Chair, President Hollande, and the other vice-Chairpersons and Commissioners to help make a difference in the lives of people everywhere, particularly in developing countries where women and youth continue to carry a disproportionate burden brought about by poverty, unemployment and inequality,” Zuma said.
World Health Organisation statistics show that by 2030, the healthcare sector would be responsible for creating 45 million job opportunities due to population growth and an ageing workforce.
The WHO’s data pointed to the fact that countries who are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and emerging economics would drive this job growth within the healthcare sector.
According to the WHO, this meant that there would be a shortage of 18 million qualified health professionals that would be needed in low-and middle-income countries. This mismatch posed a threat to the stability of health systems and global health security.
The commission, said Zuma, would look into the “the considerable need for health professionals in middle and low-income countries”.
He added that this commission, a UN initiative would “not only increase health security world-wide, but also promote inclusive economic growth, and in doing so, help to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
President Zuma and President Hollande would be supported by three Vice-Chairs, namely Dr Margaret Chang, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mr Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Mr Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Twenty-three commissioners representing governments, business and civil society from all over the world have also been nominated to enrich the deliberations of the Commission. Among them are the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Mr Donald Kaberuka, former President of the African Development Bank.
Two preparatory meetings involving experts are expected to take place in the run-up to the commission’s official in March. A second meeting of the Commission is expected to take place in New York in September this year on the margins of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The commission would be expected to submit its report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by December 31, 2016.
African News Agency
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