The World Health Organization (WHO) Access to Medicines and Health Products division took centre stage at the 58th Session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD58) at United Nations headquarters in New York, delivering a thematic presentation during the general debate and convening key side events focused on advancing health equity and universal access to health products.
Held under the theme “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages,” from 7–11 April 2025, CPD58 has provided a platform for WHO to reaffirm its commitment to promoting health equity through improved access to essential health products, aligning with global commitments to universal health coverage (UHC) and sustainable development.
In a thematic address, Deusdedit Mubangizi, WHO’s Health Products, Policy and Standards Director and Director a.i. for Innovation and Emerging Technologies, unveiled the Organization’s forthcoming 2025–2030 access road map for improving access to safe, effective and quality-assured health products as a key accelerator toward UHC. The presentation also highlighted pressing challenges like substandard health products, the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases, and the need for resilient, people-centred health systems.
"Universal health coverage can only be achieved when there is affordable access to safe, effective and quality-assured health products and technologies for all,” said Mr Mubangizi. “WHO's Access Road Map provides a strategic framework to overcome existing challenges. Our collective action is essential to ensure healthy lives for all at all ages."
With over 4.5 billion people lacking full access to essential health services and 2 billion experiencing financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health spending, Mubangizi called for strong political will, multisectoral coordination and people-centred approaches to improve access to health products to foster health equity, social cohesion and economic development.
In addition to the thematic presentation, the WHO Access to Medicines and Health Products division organized two side events on the margins of CPD58.
On 9 April 2025, WHO co-hosted a side event titled “Health, well-being, and inclusion for all through equitable access to assistive technology”. This session addressed the critical role of assistive technology, from hearing aids to mobility devices, in promoting health and inclusion, especially for aging populations and people living with health conditions or disabilities.
The event highlighted how 2.5 billion people globally need at least one assistive product but 90% do not have access, underscoring the stark disparities in access between low-income and high-income countries.
“Even though my wheelchair and cushion are the obvious requirements for my day-to-day mobility, it is all the other assistive technology that I use that really enables me to live a full, active and productive life,” said David Constantine MBE, President of the International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics. “I only have access to these products because I was born, brought up and able to access medical care, rehabilitation and assistive technology in a country that understands my needs and is willing to provide support.”
The session showcased initiatives aimed at addressing the global inequity of access to assistive technology, which is essential for the health and well-being of billions of people worldwide. Participants called for inclusion-driven investment, stronger policy frameworks and global cooperation to integrate assistive technology into primary health care and social systems.
Another side event on 10 April 2025 titled "Advancing health equity: universal access to health products" underscored the critical role of health products in achieving universal health coverage and promoting well-being for all. The event sought to raise awareness and engage stakeholders in promoting and advancing equitable access to all health products, an essential step toward achieving the objectives of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
The session focused on identifying current barriers to accessing health products including medicines, medical devices, vaccines and assistive technology, particularly in light of demographic shifts and the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases. Speakers shared initiatives designed to address these challenges, reinforcing WHO’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to health products for all. They showcased innovative, actionable strategies to strengthen access pathways, from local production and regulatory harmonization to strategic procurement.
“The Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development made it clear 30 years ago: to ensure the development of population, to achieve healthy lives for all at all ages, the accessibility, availability, acceptability and affordability of health-care services and products must be improved,” said H.E. Godfrey Kwoba, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations in New York. “Only our collective action towards improving equitable access to health products will put us back on track to achieve the universal health coverage agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goal 3, ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.”
WHO’s participation at CPD58 underscored its leadership in advancing health equity by improving access to essential health products. The discussions will inform the upcoming United Nations High-Level Political Forum on sustainable development and the fourth High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases in September 2025, with WHO urging world leaders to prioritize equitable access to health products and technologies in health policy.