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01 October 2019
74th session of the United Nations general assembly

World leaders are gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York City this week for the 74th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). GK Investment Holding Chairman Kamel Ghribi was present in New York and attended one to one meetings on the sidelines with a number of leaders and government minsters to discuss the importance Universal Health Coverage. As President of GSD Healthcare Middle East and Vice-president of GSD Kamel Ghribi stated that he has always pushed for sustainable development in his holding activities; however, he also stated that without access to affordable and quality essential healthcare services, then sustainable development would be very difficult to achieve.


 

‘As entrepreneurs, we need to unite with governments to find health and foreign policy solutions that will allow for a more inclusive global society. Governments need to find financially sustainable healthcare models that will guarantee health coverage to all members of our communities.’ It is an irrefutable fact that nations with access to high quality healthcare services also have stronger economies, social balance and a healthier environment than those nations who have no universal health coverage.


 

Indeed, Kamel Ghribi met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during a special dinner organised during UNGA. Egypt has already adopted a robust approach towards access to health coverage that is characterised by a high level of ambition, firm commitment and dynamic innovation. Guided by President El Sisi and Health Minister Dr. Hala Zaid towards tackling and reducing child mortality and taking serious steps towards eliminating major diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.


 

A compulsory vaccination scheme has been adopted for all new-born infants, which has seen a significant reduction in infection or death from many diseases. Kamel Ghribi stressed that we must focus on building a healthier world. He is optimistic that not only is this possible but also necessary if we are to avoid failing future generations. The fact that UNGA has pledged to commit and approved a ‘concise and action-oriented political declaration that will be agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations’ will, in his view, go a long way towards taking this question forward.