The Lament Continues

The Alma-Ata Declaration failed to ensure health for all. Will Astana succeed?

- Banjot Kaur

ON OCTOBER 25, 120 UN member countries signed the Astana Declaration, vowing to strengthen primary healthcare and achieve universal health coverage by 2030. This is the second time the world took this pledge. In 1978, 134 nations signed the Alma-Ata Declaration with the same pledge. The reason behind the need for reaffirmation is clear —the world has failed to meet the targets set 40 years ago. Though Alma-Ata was signed to ensure health for all, its progress was uneven, with several countries missing out on several indicators set under the declaration. While the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific countries performed well, according to papers presented at the Astana conference, South Asia and Africa lagged.