Launch of WHO-China Country Cooperation Strategy 2008-2013

BEIJING, May 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- WHO today launched the WHO-China Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2008-2013 in the margins of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. This Strategy, the first-ever to be signed jointly by WHO and the Government of China, outlines a medium-term framework for cooperation between WHO and the Government of China to improve national health development. The joint signing of the Strategy represents both the strengthening of this important partnership as well as the shared commitment to advance health outcomes in the country.

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The Strategy is rooted in national health priorities, goals and strategies, as well as WHO and international frameworks. Specifically, the fundamental basis for the CCS agenda is the Government’s main health goal of ensuring universal access to basic health care by 2020, the strategic objectives of WHO’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The CCS agenda was identified through a consultative process involving WHO, the Ministry of Health, China and other government agencies, UN agencies, as well as other multilateral, bilateral and nongovernmental health partners. Careful analysis of the country context, national health challenges and opportunities, have led to a set of important strategic programme areas focused on supporting country efforts to strengthen health systems, reach health-related MDGs, reduce the high burden of noncommunicable diseases and related diseases, and address emerging public health threats. At its core, WHO and China cooperation aims to strengthen the national health care system to meet the needs of its people, and ensure that all Chinese citizens have access to essential health care, especially the most disadvantaged and those living in rural and remote areas.

WHO-China collaboration also means mutually beneficial gains. In a rapidly developing and populous middle-income country like China, WHO’s international technical expertise and evidence-based policy advice assists China to attain more equitable health outcomes, and supports progress towards the achievement of global health norms and standards, as well as the Millennium Development Goals. Similarly, China’s contributions to international public health are essential for cross-border issues such as the prevention and control of infectious diseases, food and drug safety, and environmental health. China also has considerable technical knowledge and an increasingly wide range of good public health experiences, lessons and practices to share with other countries. It is in this spirit of partnership that WHO and China have jointly developed this Strategy.

WHO-China Country Cooperation Strategy at a glance is now available at: http://www.wpro.who.int/china