Welcome to the 37th Annual Conference
06/12/2010
Global Health Council President and CEO Jeffrey Sturchio welcomes attendees to the conference
This week, more than 2,000 practitioners, policy-makers, health researchers, academics, private sector experts, and current and future leaders join us in Washington, D.C. to discuss global health goals, to assess how close we are to achieving them, and to forge a path ultimately to reach those targets.
For more than a decade, our progress in improving people's lives and reducing the global burden of disease has been measured against such targets as the Millennium Development Goals, commitments to universal health coverage and universal access to services, or more specific goals such as those adopted for access to sexual and reproductive health services by the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and more. In addition, we now have global strategies to control or eliminate tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases. The emergence of bilateral plans with specific targets and timelines, such as the U.S. Global Health Initiative, provide new challenges and new commitments.
The year 2010 marks an important milestone for global health and development. This was the year we were to achieve universal access for HIV prevention, treatment and care. We have only five years left to achieve the aspirational targets of the Millennium Development Goals. And we have just recently marked 15 years of progress toward the sexual and reproductive health goals adopted by the ICPD.
Globally, leaders of nations, policy-makers, practitioners, advocates and researchers are gathering throughout the year to discuss how the world has fared against these various goals and targets. In early June, leaders will gather to discuss remaining challenges to reaching the universal access target for HIV prevention, care and treatment. In late June, leaders of the Group of 8 industrialized nations (G8) will focus part of their meeting on MDGs 4 and 5 - achieving maternal and child health goals. In September, the United Nations will focus the General Assembly meeting on progress toward the MDGs.
It is thus timely that we focus our discussions at the Council's 37th Annual International Conference on goals and metrics. The goals tell us where we need to go, while metrics measure how far we have come. But perhaps even more important is a collective conversation to determine the best path to reaching our targets.
Some think that global health goals are unattainable; others may think them a distraction. But insight, commitment, partnership and persistence can lead to great achievements. Take smallpox, for instance. This disease plagued millions of people for thousands of years. Yet more than 30 years ago, it was eradicated through an audacious and effective public health campaign. At this conference, Dr. D.A. Henderson, who headed WHO's efforts in achieving "Target Zero," will share his reflections on that experience, drawing on his book, Smallpox-The Death of a Disease, which features in our new book series and is summarized in GLOBAL HEALTH magazine.
In my first year as leader of the Global Health Council, I have had an opportunity to talk with many of you and to hear your thoughts on how we can achieve the goal of improving global health. As we gather this week, I look forward to continuing those conversations and moving from ideas to actions. I also look forward to learning about how the Global Health Council can work with you to accomplish great things in the coming year.
Our conference opens and closes with plenary sessions on the MDGs and universal access, with a special plenary session on goals and metrics. We have an expanded research track looking at tools and methodology, and an expanded policy track that will examine financing, review global plans and global campaigns. A full week of capacity-building workshops, abstract-driven panels, roundtables and poster sessions features many Council members and partners on the front lines - informing, sharing, inspiring.
The Awards Banquet, the highlight of the Conference, offers an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of all who work tirelessly to improve the lives of the world's poor. We are delighted that the 2010 Gates Award for Global Health will be presented to GHESKIO. This remarkable organization has been a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Haiti, demonstrating just how much it is possible to achieve by working with and for affected communities.
Thank you for joining us. We look forward to a week of robust discussion, renewed acquaintances, productive networking and new partnerships.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio is president and CEO of the Global Health Council.
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