WHO Welcomes Landmark UN Declaration On Universal Health Coverage
Today world leaders adopted a high-level United Nations Political Declaration on universal health coverage (UHC), the most comprehensive set of health commitments ever adopted at this level. тАЬThis declaration represents a landmark for global health and development,тАЭ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO. тАЬThe world has 11 years left to make good on its sustainable development goals. Universal health coverage is key to ensuring that happens.тАЭ He added: тАЬUniversal health coverage is a political choice: today world leaders have signaled their readiness to make that choice. I congratulate them.тАЭ The declaration comes the day after the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners flagged the need to double health coverage between now and 2030 or leave up to 5 billion people unable to access health care. In adopting the declaration, U.N. Member States have committed to advance towards UHC by investing in four major areas around primary health care. These include mechanisms to ensure no one suffers financial hardship because they have had to pay for healthcare out of their own pockets and implementing high-impact health interventions to combat diseases and protect womenтАЩs and childrenтАЩs health. In addition, countries must strengthen health workforce and infrastructure and reinforce governance capacity. They will report back on their progress to the U.N. General Assembly in 2023. тАЬNow that the world has committed to health for all, it is time to get down to the hard work of turning those commitments into results,тАЭ said Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. тАЬWe all have a role to play. Donors and country governments need to move beyond business as usual to bolster the primary health care systems that address the vast majority of peopleтАЩs needs over their lifetimes,тАЭ said Gates. On 24 September, WHO and 11 other multilateral organizations, which collectively channel one third of development assistance for health, will launch their Global Action Plan for health and well being for all. The plan will ensure the 12 partners provide more streamlined support to countries to help deliver universal health coverage and achieve the health-related SDG targets. Sources : WHO Read the full article













