Act with ambition
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means that all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. Tomorrow, on 12 December 2016, for the UHC Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners will demand political action from leaders to invest in policies and health systems that reach every person and community based on need, and not ability to pay.
All UN Member States have agreed to try to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030. This includes financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
On 12 December 2012, the UN resolution on Foreign Policy and Global Health recognised the importance of UHC for the first time ever, and this prompted the UHC Day movement together with 734 partners in 117 countries.
In September 2015, the commitment to UHC was embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underpinning the health goal to address both financial and physical access to essential health services in a more comprehensive manner.
In 2016, the G7 strongly endorsed UHC and emphasised the need for resilient health systems at their recent Ise-Shima Summit. African Union Heads of State also committed to advance UHC in order to achieve SDGs following the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD-VI).
Attaining UHC and SDG 3 will require a new commitment to reduce fragmentation in health. In this regard, the International Health Partnership for UHC 2030 (UHC2030) was established to support a movement for accelerated, equitable and sustainable progress towards UHC as well as the other health targets in the SDGs.
The partnership builds on a transformed IHP+, making it fit for purpose in the new SDG era with an increased focus on mobilisation of national resources. Countries with potential roles and contributions in driving UHC and the International Health Partnership for UHC2030 need to strengthen multi-stakeholder policy dialogue and coordination on health systems at country level and improve the coordination of efforts at global level, as well as build political momentum and advocate for equitable and sustainable progress towards UHC.
There is growing global consensus that universal health coverage is a smart investment and an achievable goal everywhere.
World leaders including the G7 have affirmed that health is a human right, that no one should go bankrupt when they get sick, and that universal health coverage underpins our collective security and prosperity.
Universal health coverage improves how health care is financed and delivered – so it is more accessible, more equitable and more effective.
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