COVID-19 has exposed vast weaknesses in health systems around the world and has exacerbated gaps in quality and service while highlighting the critical role of quality primary health care (PHC) during a health emergency. According to a new World Bank report, well-designed PHC has the potential to help flatten the curve during a health crisis like COVID-19 by providing measures such as surveillance, testing and contract tracing, community outreach and vaccine coverage, and in keeping hospitals from overflowing with critically ill patients.
Walking the Talk: Reimagining Primary Health Care after COVID-19 charts an agenda toward reimagined, fit-for-purpose PHC. It calls for a significant increase in financing by both countries and donors since investments in primary health care yield high returns and promote resilience and sustainability.
At this seminar, Huihui Wang, Senior Economist, Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, presented the main points of the report.
Date/Time:
8am-9am, Friday September 24, 2021 (Japan Standard Time)
Speaker
Senior Economist, Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, World Bank
Huihui Wang, M.D., Ph.D., is a Senior Economist at the World Bank Group. She has 20 years of experiences working in low, middle- and high-income countries with a focus on supporting them to achieve Universal Health Coverage. She led the World Bank’s lending operations and technical support in health system reforms in East Asia, Europe and Central Asia and Africa regions. Currently working with the global engagement unit, she is leading global initiatives related to transforming and improving primary health care, knowledge programs on COVID-19 impact and response, as well as financing for nutrition. She has a multi-disciplinary background: a medical degree from Beijing Medical University, a Master of Art in economics and a Doctor of Philosophy in health services and policy analysis from University of California, Berkeley.
Presentation material:
Walking the Talk: Reimagining Fit-For-Purpose Primary Health Care （PDF）
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