- Mr. Somsak Thepsutin Minister of Public Health – Thailand
- Moses Jean Baptiste, Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs - Saint Lucia
- Dr Nassuha Oussene Salim, Minister of Health, Comoros;
- Prof. Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud El Tayeb, Dep. Minister of Health and Population - Egypt
- Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, Director General of Health, Malaysia
- Officials of the Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
- Distinguished Delegates, Partners, Colleagues and Friends
A very good morning to you all.
Welcome to the first WHO Global Oral Health Meeting to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage for oral health by 2030.
I am pleased to welcome each one of you to this significant event, co-hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand. I would like to offer my appreciation and thanks to the Royal Thai Government’s Ministry of Public Health for accepting our invitation to host this meeting. On behalf of WHO, I also appreciate the warm hospitality extended to all of us attendees, and the excellent arrangements we have experienced.
Dr. Tedros was unable to be present physically in Bangkok, but as you just witnessed, he has expressed his best wishes for a successful meeting. I would like to echo and reiterate his commitment of WHO’s support to our Member States and partners for their efforts to accelerate the prevention and control of oral diseases.
In May 2021, the World Health Assembly adopted a landmark resolution stating that oral health should be embedded within the global NCD and UHC agendas. Thailand is one of the few countries in the world which has been successful in reaching universal coverage for NCDs - including oral health services. As the Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, I am pleased to thank the Royal Thai Government, on behalf of all of us here today, for your excellent and impressive efforts.
Sri Lanka is another South-East Asia Member State with excellent progress towards universal coverage on oral health. As we have also just heard from H.E the Minister of Health, it was Sri Lanka which led the resolution at the World Health Assembly in 2021. My thanks to the Government of Sri Lanka and all the Members States who supported this historical move.
Following this, the Global strategy on oral health was adopted in May 2022 at the World Health Assembly. This was translated into a Global oral health action plan 2023–2030, which was presented to the World Health assembly in 2023.
Now, in 2024, we are gathered here in the wonderful city of Bangkok with a common goal: to discuss, review, learn from others - and to adapt these policy documents to national contexts, to improve the oral health of people everywhere.
I am pleased that our South-East Asia Regional Office is already translating the global policy into a regional action plan, customized and adapted to regional needs.
Together with country offices, our Regional Office has already supported the development of key initiatives. These include the developing of essential oral health service packages, and a series of online courses to build capacity among health professionals.
This first ever Global Oral Health Meeting is a unique opportunity to scale-up of progress on NCDs, with a focus on oral diseases. The outcomes of this meeting will contribute to the preparatory process leading to the 4th UN High-level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases next year.
As you know, the Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs authorizes the President of the UN General Assembly to convene the fourth high-level meeting on NCDs in 2025. The progress of the present political declaration will be reviewed at the meeting, and it is hoped a new political declaration on NCDs will be adopted – that is both ambitious and achievable.
This global gathering comprises a 3-day technical meeting, and also a host of side events on selected themes. These offer platforms to discuss important issues, share best practices, and build international cooperation.
We also have a high-level segment for health ministers and senior leaders of UN Agencies and non-State actors to discuss their commitments to implement the Global oral health action plan and national oral health roadmaps.
Among several outcomes of this Meeting, the Bangkok declaration on oral health is of great importance. This is the declaration whereby Member States reaffirm commitment to oral health, and inform the preparatory process of the 4th UN high level meeting on NCDs in 2025.
The other key outcome is the formation of the Global coalition for oral health. It will include a portal of commitments from Member States and non-State actors as well as a call for action for partners to support the implementation of the global oral health action plan. We request your support for strong commitments in the Global coalition, through collaborative action and consolidated advocacy.
The path towards the universal health coverage of oral health is through strengthening primary health care. PHC can be an inclusive, effective and efficient approach to deliver oral health care services, integrated to NCD services.
Our early experiences have shown that much can be achieved when we combine our efforts across WHO and engage with our key stakeholders and WHO Collaborating Centres. As WHO, we are ready to continue to play this role of support and coordination for countries.
Once again, thank you to the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand. Thank you for the generous contributions of the Borrow Foundation, and thank you to the Governments of France and Canada for organising this meeting.
Officials of the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, delegates of member States, partners and colleagues,
We have 3 days of intense work ahead of us, followed by the high-level segment.
On behalf of WHO, I request your active participation in all the deliberations. I hope for your strong commitment for Universal health coverage for oral health by 2030. Let’s make the most of this opportunity in front of us.
Thank you.