By Svetlana Akselrod, Gabriela Cuevas Barron, Katie Dain, Lucica Ditiu, Helga Fogstad, Corine Karema, Justin Koonin, Akihito Watabe
In September, 2023, world leaders will have a unique opportunity to commit to bolstering health systems, to end tuberculosis, and to invigorate progress on health for all, as three United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Meetings (HLMs) on health will take place back-to-back in New York, USA.
The HLMs on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR); universal health coverage (UHC); and tuberculosis, on Sept 20–22, can help to place health high on the political agenda. This attention is urgently needed, because most health-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),1including those on pandemic PPR, UHC, and tuberculosis, have been thrown off track and inequalities have widened following the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased conflicts and climate change threats have left countries and vulnerable populations at even greater risk in the face of emerging health challenges and social justice.
