Commonwealth health ministers unite for bold action on sustainable health financing

The 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, convened ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly, has concluded with a blueprint for unlocking sustainable health finance and delivering on the promise of quality healthcare for the 2.7 billion people across the Commonwealth.

The 37th meeting of health ministers, held on 17 May in Geneva, marks a renewed spirit of collaboration among member countries at a time when many healthcare systems are under pressure to adapt to an uncertain and challenging future, reads a press release.

The ministers produced a strong outcome statement with a pathway for building equitable, resilient, inclusive and sustainably financed health systems that prioritise vulnerable member countries, now at risk due to recent freezes and cuts in development assistance.

In her remarks at the opening ceremony, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey addressed representatives from 45 member states, including 198 government officials, and 42 observers, including global health leaders, youth advocates and other stakeholders, stating: "We must shift from short-term, fragmented approaches to long-term, wide investment. That means strengthening governance, the health workforce, infrastructure, supply chains, data systems, and most crucially, primary health care.

"We must find new ways to finance health. That includes blended finance, social impact bonds, and public-private partnerships. But innovation must serve equity, not undermine it. That requires strong regulation, public leadership, and shared accountability."

In light of shrinking international assistance, she commended the efforts of Commonwealth health ministers while calling for even greater emphasis on health spending as an "engine of growth" in challenging times.

Selibe Mochoboroane, Lesotho's Minister of Health, chaired the ministerial meeting. Underscoring the need to build health systems that are sustainable, equitable and resilient, he said: "We gather at a pivotal moment as many Commonwealth countries face pressing challenges from the current global financial landscape. It is crucial to establish a sustainable financing framework that safeguards our health systems through these economic hardships."

 The Minister added: "Collaborative partnerships are essential; the global community must unite to support one another with innovative health financing strategies to address immediate challenges and build resilient systems that can effectively respond to both current and future health crises."

In his keynote address, World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said: "Although our current situation is difficult, we are using it as an opportunity to accelerate our journey towards greater financial sustainability. This is an area where the Commonwealth and WHO can work together to help member states on their journey to self-reliance, in particular those facing severe disruptions, with support from donors to bridge the gap."

The ministers explored innovative strategies and solutions to increase domestic spending on health and diversity funding streams.

To achieve optimal health care, ministers underscored the importance of strengthening primary health care by:

• Investing in the health and care workforce to address worker shortages,
• Improving access to essential medicines to achieve health equity, and
• Investing in digital tools and strengthening country capacity for uptake by increased collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Health Organization, aimed at supporting countries to conduct Digital Health Maturity Assessments at the national level. 

Commonwealth partners and civil society organisations also advocated for impactful and cost-effective models of aid. Victoria Rutter, CEO of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and Chair of the Commonwealth Health Professions and Partners Alliance, said: "The 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting stands to be the most important to date. As global funding priorities shift away from conventional models of aid, there is an opportunity for Commonwealth member states and for organisations within the Commonwealth family to come together to develop new, cost-effective and sustainable ways of working in partnership with each other to improve health outcomes."

During four breakout sessions, member countries explored critical themes including climate resilience, non-communicable diseases (including cancers), mental health, digital innovations, and healthy ageing.

Secretary-General Botchwey opened the climate breakout session, chaired by Bootii Nauan, the minister for Health and Medical Services in Kiribati, highlighting the Secretariat's ongoing commitment to take concrete action based on the needs of member countries, including climate finance. 

Ministers were informed that barriers to climate finance access, such as complex application procedures, need to be addressed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other key funding partners. Efforts by the Secretariat in this regard, through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH), remain essential.

In the breakout session on NCDs and mental health, chaired by Nigeria's Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Dr Iziaq Adenkule Salako, ministers underscored the need for sustainable financing to address the rising burden of NCDs and mental health issues. The session was particularly relevant given the upcoming United Nations Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health in September 2025. Ministers recognised that this event will also provide a key opportunity for the Commonwealth to highlight the critical link between climate change and health outcomes.

With 4.5 billion people lacking critical health services and access to life-saving treatments, ministers agreed that investing in healthcare is essential to prevent the reversal of years of progress toward achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals.

Targeted investment for development will also be a key focus at the upcoming Commonwealth Business Summit in Namibia this June, with an opportunity to underscore that health is not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic cornerstone for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth.