On December 16, 2024, the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) held a symposium titled "Me and UHC" on the third floor of Shuhua Building at the Peking University Health Science Center. Experts and scholars, including Zhuang Ning, Deputy Director of the Department of Reform of the National Health Commission, and Qiao Jianrong, Coordinator of the WHO Representative Office in China, attended the meeting and delivered speeches. Meng Qingyue, former Executive Director of the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University, delivered a video address. The meeting was chaired by Ren Minghui, Director of the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for UHC. Nearly 40 scholars from relevant research institutions, as well as faculty and students from the Peking University Health Development Research Center, participated in the symposium.

Speech by Director Meng Qingyue

Director Ren Minghui first welcomed the leaders, experts, and faculty and students present, thanking everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend the symposium and jointly celebrate the successful establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre for UHC. Subsequently, Director Ren Minghui displayed the poster for the WHO Universal Health Coverage Day, emphasizing the significance of research and policy advancement in universal health coverage.

Director Ren Minghui

In his video address, Director Meng Qingyue stated that the establishment of the WHO Collaborating Centre for UHC is a milestone in the work of the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University. As someone who participated in the establishment of the collaborating center, Meng expressed gratitude to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and the WHO Representative Office in China for their strong support, thanked the leaders of the National Health Commission for providing research opportunities in the field of universal health coverage, and acknowledged the efforts and contributions of the center's faculty during the establishment process. He encouraged the faculty and students, stating that the establishment of the collaborating center is a new starting point, providing a new platform and raising a new banner for the future development of the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University. He hopes that faculty and students will leverage the collaborating center to conduct higher-quality UHC research activities with an international perspective.

Professor Liu Xiaoyun, Deputy Director of the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University, introduced the application and preparation process for the WHO Collaborating Centre for UHC. She detailed the hard work of many faculty members during the preparation process and the support and assistance received during the reporting process to the WHO headquarters.

Professor Liu Xiaoyun

Coordinator Qiao Jianrong, from the perspective of the WHO Representative Office in China, recalled the establishment process of the collaborating center and the challenges overcome. She introduced the concept of universal health coverage to the attendees, affirmed the center's efforts and contributions in the field of UHC research, and further outlined expectations for the center's work at the WHO level over the next four years. Coordinator Qiao Jianrong expressed great anticipation for the center to conduct more high-level research and efforts at the WHO level.

Coordinator Qiao Jianrong

Deputy Director Zhuang Ning introduced the goals of China's deepening medical and health system reform and the implementation of the Healthy China strategy in the field of universal health coverage. He interpreted key policy points, affirmed the completion status and implementation effects of the center's previous projects, and expressed hope that faculty and students would take the establishment of the collaborating center as a new opportunity to leverage its role as a "base, bridge, and window" to conduct more valuable research on universal health coverage, making research outcomes an important tool for promoting the practice and implementation of UHC.

Deputy Director Zhuang Ning

Professor Fu Hongqiao, Deputy Director of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Peking University School of Public Health, introduced the pathways and perspectives for conducting and strengthening scientific research on universal health coverage in China. He summarized previous research achievements in universal health coverage and China's progress in promoting UHC, proposed possible future directions for efforts, and discussed how to promote the global sharing of China's approach to universal health coverage.

Professor Fu Hongqiao

Tian Yiran, a student representative from the China Health Development Research Center of Peking University, shared her experiences and insights from participating in universal health coverage projects, introducing the research outputs from the perspective of a participant.

Tian Yiran

Following this, Researcher Wang Yunping from the National Health Development Research Center and Associate Professor Tang Kun from the Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University delivered speeches, congratulating the establishment of the collaborating center and sharing their insights and research experiences on universal health coverage.

Associate Professor Tang Kun、Researcher Wang Yunping

At the end of the meeting, all attendees shared a cake featuring the logo of the WHO Universal Health Coverage Day. The symposium concluded amidst lively discussions and sharing.

Group Photo

The United Nations General Assembly declared December 12 as International Universal Health Coverage Day on December 12, 2017, aiming to raise awareness of the necessity of building strong, resilient health systems and achieving universal health coverage.