ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (APP): Speakers at a breakout session on Tuesday urged the United Nations member states to accelerate focus on poor, vulnerable and marginalized groups by ensuring implementation on resolution passed to achieve the target of Universal Health Coverage by 2030.

The session “Ensuring Equal Access to Health Care” was held here on the occasion of “Third Inter-Parliamentary Union Regional Seminar on Achieving Sustainable Development Goals for Parliaments of Asia-Pacific”.

The representative from Bangladesh Assembly stressed the need to promote physical and mental health and well-being, and to extend life expectancy for all. “We must achieve universal health coverage and access to quality health care. We must leave no one behind,” he remarked.

He urged the legislators to play its due role to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and for the betterment of the people.

Deputy Speaker of Nepal noted that the Covid-19 had collapsed health system of the countries, so we should learn lesson from it and evolve new strategies to achieve universal health care by providing equal access to health to everyone.

Member National Assembly Nisar Ahmed Cheema noted that health workers have been deployed across Pakistan to reduce paternal mortality.

He said during past, traditional methods and untrained people used to perform deliveries in remote areas, leading to an increase in paternal fertility rates, however after disseminating information and awareness about the delivery the death rate has reduced.

“The Pakistan government is well aware of the situation and fully focused to ensure universal health care as it is a basic right of everyone,” said Cheema.

At present Pakistan was facing a challenge in the form of floods, he said and expressed the hope that the country would overcome this challenge soon.