The President of the World Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has called for equitable deployment of health technological innovations to advance Universal Health Coverage. The WMA President stated this at the International Conference on health technological innovations hosted by the Israeli Medical Association in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
In his opening remarks at the 3-day conference tagged: “The Future Health Matrix: Health Technology, Innovation, and the shifting landscape of power structures in healthcare,” the WMA President informed participants that the healthcare industry had over the years witnessed various health technological innovations which have revolutionized the mode of delivery of healthcare services, influenced diagnosis and treatment methods, with impact on quality outcomes.
These benefits notwithstanding, the WMA President remarked that there was need to guard against their potential risks such as erosion of the ethical principles of informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, as well as widening of health disparities and inequities as was witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the unfortunate case of vaccine inequity.
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In his words, “as we seek to advance health technological innovations in this era, I urge that we pay due attention to quality checks and performance audits, with strict adherence to ethical expectations.”
“I equally urge that due attention be paid to the peculiar socio-economic, infrastructural and cultural challenges faced by various countries of the world, particularly the Low-Middle-Income (LMIC) countries.”
While commending the Prof. Hagay Zion-led leadership of Israeli Medical Association for successfully organizing the conference, he charged the conference participants to critically appraise how health technological innovations could be deployed towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage and a more equitable world and healthcare system.
Speaking earlier at the international conference, the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog, had informed participants of the tremendous strides being made by the State of Israel in the realms of micro-chips development and health technological innovations, as well as Universal Health Coverage. He affirmed the readiness of the Israeli government to partner with the Israeli Medical Association and World Medical Association to scale up health technological innovations in the healthcare industry.
The President of the Israeli Medical Association, Prof. Hagay Zion, had also welcomed the WMA President and other international delegates and participants to the highly impactful conference.
The WMA President has since left Tel-Aviv for another official engagement.