Fifth Global Conference on Health Promotion, Health Promotion: Bridging the Equity Gap, Mexico City, 5 June 2000

Statement

Gathered in Mexico City on the occasion of the Fifth Global Conference on Health Promotion, the Ministers of Health who sign this Statement:

1. Recognize that the attainment of the highest possible standard of health is a positive asset for the enjoyment of life and necessary for social and economic development and equity.

2. Acknowledge that the promotion of health and social development is a central duty and responsibility of governments, that all sectors of society share.

3. Are mindful that, in recent years, through the sustained efforts of governments and societies working together, there have been significant health improvements and progress in the provision of health services in many countries of the world.

4. Realize that, despite this progress, many health problems still persist which hinder social and economic development and must therefore be urgently addressed to further equity in the attainment of health and well being.

5. Are mindful that, at the same time, new and re-emerging diseases threaten the progress made in health.

6. Realize that it is urgent to address the social, economic and environmental determinants of health and that this requires strengthened mechanisms of collaboration for the promotion of health across al sectors and at all levels of society.

7. Conclude that health promotion must be a fundamental component of public policies and programmes in all countries in the pursuit of equity and better health for all.

8. Realize that there is ample evidence that good health promotion strategies of promoting health are effective.

Actions

Considering the above, we subscribe to the following:

A. To position the promotion of health as a fundamental priority in local, regional, national and international policies and programmes.

B. To take the leading role in ensuring the active participation of all sectors and civil society, in the implementation of health promoting actions which strengthen and expand partnerships for health.

C. To support the preparation of country-wide plans of action for promoting health, if necessary drawing on the expertise in this area of WHO and its partners. These plans will vary according to the national context, but will follow a basic framework agreed upon during the Fifth Global Conference on Health Promotion, and may include among others:

• The identification of health priorities and the establishment of healthy public policies and programmes to address these.
• The support of research which advances knowledge on selected priorities.
• The mobilization of financial and operational resources to build human and institutional capacity for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of country-wide plans of action.

D. To establish or strengthen national and international networks which promote health.

E. To advocate that UN agencies be accountable for the health impact of their development agenda.

F. To inform the Director General of the World Health Organization, for the purpose of her report to the 107th session of the Executive Board, of the progress made in the performance of the above actions.

Signed in Mexico City, on June 5th 2000, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish, all texts being equally authentic.

Signing countries

This Ministerial Statement was signed by the following countries:

• Algeria
• Angola
• Argentina
• Aruba
• Australia
• Austria
• Bangladesh
• Belize
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Cameroon
• Canada
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Egypt
• Finland
• France
• Gabon
• Germany
• Guatemala
• Haiti
• Hungary
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Korea
• Kuwait
• Lao PDR
• Lebanon
• Madagascar
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Mexico
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Norway
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Russian Federation
• Rwanda
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Samoa
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sudan
• Swaziland
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Uruguay
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela
• Yugoslavia
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe