*WMA PRESIDENT VISITS JAPANESE MINISTER OF HEALTH,LABOUR AND WELFARE---SEEKS THE SUPPORT OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE.*

In furtherance of WMA's commitment to health system strengthening and Universal Health Coverage, the President of the World Medical Association (WMA), Dr.Osahon Enabulele, today (Monday, November 14, 2022) paid a special visit to the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Mr.Kato Katsunobu.

During the visit, the WMA President commended the Japanese Government for its effort at tackling the Covid-19 scourge, as well as her efforts  at strengthening the health system in Japan. He particularly commended the country's very high level of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and sought the support and collaboration of the Japanese Ministry of Health and the Japanese Government in the WMA's quest to support countries yet to achieve UHC, especially the Lower-Low-Middle-Income countries.

Dr.Enabulele thereafter unveiled various frameworks and strategic means through which the Japanese government could support the initiatives of the WMA.

In his response,the Japanese Minister of Health,Labour and Welfare, Mr.Kato Katsunobu, expressed great delight at the special visit of the WMA President.He said he was very pleased with the election of Dr.Osahon Enabulele as WMA President and commended him for the tremendous and positively impactful work he has so far done in his less than 6weeks in office.

While expressing the firm commitment of the Japanese government to Universal Health Coverage, the Minister informed his guest that Japan would be hosting next year's G7 summit where the issue of Universal Health Coverage would be discussed.

He firmly assured the WMA President of his support and that of the Japanese Government in giving practical expression to his laudable initiatives and requests.

The highly successful visit was attended by top ministry officials and a delegation of the Japan Medical Association (JMA), comprising of the JMA President,Dr.Kichitro Matsumoto, Dr.Yoshitake Yokokura (WMA Past President), Dr.Tohru Kakuta, Dr.Hidehito Imamura, amongst others.