Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians Urge Action to Close Gaps in Health Access

Parliamentarians representing 16 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region concluded the Ninth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) on 13 August in Kingdom of Cambodia. APPFGH is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity, and foster collaboration towards sustainable action for health.

This year, the Phnom Penh Communiqué urged action from policymakers across Asia-Pacific to close gaps in access for older adults and other marginalized populations. Parliamentarians advocated for sustainable financing to protect these groups from financial hardship with a specific focus on prevention. The call to action from parliamentarians signals a region-wide push to adopt and expand access to preventive health measures, including adult immunization. Vaccines across the lifecourse keep adults independent, protected from severe NCD complications later in life, and out of the health system. 

Read the Announcement from WHO and Kingdom of Cambodia here