Gro Harlem Brundtland has joined leaders on a new panel to strengthen political support for Universal Health Coverage.

On 9 July, a new Universal Health Coverage (UHC) movement Political Advisory Panel was announced.

The Elders' Gro Harlem Brundtland - a former Prime Minister of Norway and Director-General of the World Health Organization - was named as a member, joining other leaders including her fellow GPMB co-chair, Elhadj As Sy.

Members of the panel will advise on opportunities for UHC2030 to sustain high-level momentum on universal health coverage and ensure follow up on commitments made in the UHC Political Declaration. This declaration was agreed by leaders at the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) on Universal Health Coverage in September 2019.

The new panel will also "provide guidance to the UHC2030 Steering Committee to strengthen political support for UHC and convey UHC2030’s messages to high-level political leaders to ensure that commitment translates into action in countries." 

UHC2030 is the global movement to strengthen health systems for universal health coverage. UHC2030 provides a multi-stakeholder platform that promotes collaborative working at global and country levels on health systems strengthening.

Members of the UHC movement Political Advisory Panel are: 

Elhadj As Sy, Chair of the Board, Kofi Annan Foundation

Emilia Saiz, Secretary-General of the United Cities and Local Governments

Gabriela Cuevas Barron, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

Gro Harlem Brundtland, Member of The Elders

Keizo Takemi, Member of the House of Councillors, Japan

María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly

Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Former European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety

Read more in UHC2030's announcement