Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the role of the Commonwealth and its organisations in capacity-building in Commonwealth Ministries of Health and Parliaments, in the light of lessons learnt from the experience of Sierra Leone and the outbreak of ebola there.

The effect of the Ebola outbreak on Universal Health Coverage will be discussed at the next Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in May. Supporting countries to strengthen their health systems remains a top priority for the Government’s health work in West Africa and beyond.

The Government has met with the Commonwealth Foundation to discuss how civil society in Sierra Leone can be supported in tackling the Ebola crisis.

The Ebola outbreak has further demonstrated the importance of supporting countries to implement the International Health Regulations core capacities in order to detect and respond to outbreaks quickly. The Government is keen to accelerate international efforts to this end, working closely with the World Health Organization and through partnerships such as the Global Health Security Agenda. The Government sees the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting as an opportunity for the Commonwealth Secretariat to raise awareness of the importance of health system strengthening in the Commonwealth.

The Government will work with the Government of Sierra Leone and partners to seek a legacy of effective systems and structures that will contribute to improved future service delivery and infrastructure. This will ensure that should Sierra Leone be faced with a subsequent outbreak of Ebola or other disease, it is able to respond effectively.