(Commonwealth)_ The 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM), held on 17 May in Geneva ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly, concluded with a renewed commitment to delivering quality healthcare and securing sustainable health financing for the 2.7 billion people across the Commonwealth. This 37th meeting marked a pivotal moment for global health leadership, with ministers producing a forward-looking blueprint focused on equitable, inclusive, and resilient healthcare systems.
This year’s meeting convened representatives from 45 member states, including 198 government officials and 42 observers such as global health experts, youth advocates, and civil society actors. It was hosted amid a backdrop of global financial uncertainty and shrinking development assistance. Despite these challenges, Commonwealth health leaders emphasized their shared determination to strengthen healthcare systems and unlock innovative financing solutions.
A key outcome of the meeting was a robust joint statement that charted a clear course for addressing critical gaps in health funding. The ministers emphasized the need for long-term, systemic investment, moving away from fragmented, short-term interventions. The focus was placed on reinforcing governance, workforce capacity, infrastructure, supply chains, data systems, and, most importantly, primary healthcare.
With traditional sources of international aid declining, the ministers explored alternative funding models, including blended finance, social impact bonds, and public-private partnerships. The meeting also highlighted the importance of strong regulation and public accountability to ensure these innovative models enhance equity rather than undermine it.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, underscored the need to treat health expenditure as an economic driver rather than a cost burden. She encouraged member states to reframe health investment as a pathway to economic resilience and sustainable development. Her message was reinforced by the chair of the meeting, Lesotho’s Minister of Health, the Hon. Selibe Mochoboroane, who called for urgent action to develop sustainable financing frameworks that could protect health systems during times of economic stress.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered a keynote address in which he emphasized the need for countries to work toward financial self-reliance. He pointed to the value of partnership between the Commonwealth and WHO in helping member states bridge funding gaps and build sustainable health systems, particularly in nations facing the most severe disruption.
The meeting resulted in tangible strategies for boosting domestic health spending and diversifying revenue streams. Key priorities included investing in healthcare workers to address global shortages, expanding access to essential medicines to promote health equity, and leveraging digital tools to improve health system efficiency. Collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and WHO will support countries in conducting national Digital Health Maturity Assessments, ensuring technological advancements are tailored to each country’s readiness and capacity.
Civil society partners echoed the call for sustainable, cost-effective models of aid. The meeting provided a platform for these organizations to advocate for stronger partnerships within the Commonwealth to improve health outcomes without over-reliance on conventional aid structures. Breakout sessions offered more details about critical health challenges, including climate change, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mental health, digital innovation, and aging populations. In the climate resilience session, participants stressed the importance of improving access to climate finance, with emphasis on simplifying application processes and supporting vulnerable nations through mechanisms like the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub.
In the session on NCDs and mental health, ministers called for sustainable financial models to manage the rising burden of these health concerns. This discussion held particular significance in anticipation of the UN’s Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health in September 2025, which will offer a global stage to highlight the link between climate change and public health.
With 4.5 billion people worldwide lacking access to essential health services, Commonwealth ministers reaffirmed their commitment to investing in healthcare as a critical lever for progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Their united efforts aim to ensure that recent gains are not only protected but expanded for future generations
