The Health Section of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Social Transformation Programmes Division is responsible for strengthening the delivery of health care in Commonwealth countries by supporting the development and implementation of national and regional policies and strategies.
Address: Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HX, UK
Tel: +44 20 7747 6500 (switchboard); +44 20 7747 6286 | Fax: +44 (0)20 7930 0827
Email: info@commonwealth.int; h.gulamabbas@commonwealth.int | www.thecommonwealth.org/subhomepage/190698/health/
Foundation: 1965
Officers: Secretary-General: Kamalesh Sharma; Director of the Social Transformation Programmes Division: Dr Sylvie Anie; Head of the Health Section: Dr Magna Aidoo
Activities: The work of the Health Section addresses some of the biggest disease and health system challenges on the global health agenda. It also brokers consensus between the developed and developing countries in the Commonwealth and highlight issues of relevance to small states enabling them to participate in the global debate on health.
The Health Section implements programmes in five areas:
With a focus on:
- Advocacy initiatives, which are developed so we can inform national, regional and global policies. For example, the Health Section has initiated and sustained a discussion on e-health among senior policy makers in East, Central and Southern Africa.
- Analytical studies, which the Health Section produces to enhance understanding on priority and emerging health issues within the Commonwealth. For example, a series of discussion papers on climate change, e-health and maternal and child health have been commissioned and published.