Latest content: Health

Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, opening remarks at the Annual Convention of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) . Marlborough House, Friday 18th July 2025.

The number of people aged 65 and over in Commonwealth countries is projected to rise from 231 million in 2019 to 559 million by 2050. There is a growing need to ensure that they also age well, living productive, healthy and fulfilling lives.

Over 90 young professionals, including delegates from Canada, India, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Kingdom, joined Ministers of Health and heads of international development agencies to address challenges in the health sector.

The 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, convened ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly, has concluded with a blueprint for unlocking sustainable health finance and delivering on the promise of quality healthcare for the 2.7 billion people across the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey opening the 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in Geneva on 17 May 2025

The 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (37CHMM) will take place on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 17 May. This will be Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey’s first ministerial meeting since taking office on 1 April 2025.

By Victoria Rutter, CEO of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) and a member of the Commonwealth Advisory Health Committee. CPA is a Commonwealth-accredited organisation.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global health threats of the 21st century. Nearly 40 million people could lose their lives to AMR infections over the next 25 years, with the heaviest toll expected in lower-to-middle income countries, many of them in the Commonwealth. In the past decade, projected AMR-related deaths by 2050 have quadrupled, underscoring the urgency of the crisis. If AMR were a war, it would rival the deadliest in history. It demands innovative, coordinated responses.

On 24 April, senior government officials from health ministries across the Commonwealth met prior to the 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers meeting to discuss investments to support health systems amid the current global financial context that has placed many vulnerable nations at risk.

Accelerating positive health outcomes in the Commonwealth was the focus of two meetings held in March at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

As we recognise January as Cervical Cancer Awareness month, a recent report from the Commonwealth Secretariat and TogetHER for Health illustrates a vital path towards eliminating cervical cancer in Commonwealth countries.

The World Malaria Report 2024 findings highlight notable advancements within Commonwealth countries to combat the incidence of malaria cases. Belize was certified malaria-free for the second year running and across Africa - in Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tanzania – the incidence rate has been reduced.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the East, Central, and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) have launched a significant mental health project to raise the standard of health of youths across nine countries in the region where mental health challenges in young people are on the rise.

According to the World Health Organization, 30–50% of all cancer cases are preventable and prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer.

The Lancet Oncology Commission on Cancer in the Commonwealth has published initial recommendations to support the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth in tackling the rising incidence of cancer.

The World Cancer Congress has concluded in Geneva, Switzerland, with a robust set of recommendations which, if implemented, could contribute to eliminating cervical cancer, which claims nearly 10 million lives annually around the world.

Visionary women leaders from across the Commonwealth came together in Samoa today to make a strong commitment to protecting women and girls from what they call “fully preventable” suffering caused by violence and cervical cancer.

High-level government leaders and multistakeholder partners came together today to strengthen their commitment to addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health at a side event held during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.

As part of efforts to advance global health targets, Commonwealth young leaders have concluded a critical three-day summit in London with the launch of two key initiatives: the Commonwealth Young Health Leaders Fellowship and the Commonwealth Leadership Institute (Health).

As the role of digital technologies becomes more critical in healthcare delivery, health ministers are moving towards the greater adoption of digital solutions to deliver better health services for Commonwealth citizens.