On World Health Day, marked each year on 7 April, the World Health Organization and its sister UN agencies call upon all leaders and international partners to put inclusiveness and equity at the heart of all COVID-19 response and recovery plans to create a fairer, healthier world for all.
The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated existing and subsequent disparities related to age, gender, education, employment, clean water and air, and access to health and social financial protection. These inequities constitute important barriers to healthier lives and better access to health services, harming our societies and economies.
“Why is it that some people have felt the effects of COVID-19 more sharply?” says Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Quite simply, the cards have been stacked against them in terms of jobs, housing, community, social support and health care. It’s time that everyone is dealt a fair hand, and we rebuild from the pandemic, setting our sights higher than surviving, to thriving.”
COVID-19 has hit all countries hard and affected people within the same country unequally. All too often, its impact has been harshest for vulnerable communities, leaving them more exposed to the disease and less likely to have access to quality health care services. As a result, these communities are more likely to experience adverse consequences as a result of measures implemented to contain the pandemic.
"Health equity for all is the basis for country development,” says Dr Venko Filipche, Minister of Health in North Macedonia. “The Ministry of Health and the whole of government spare no efforts to relieve unnecessary suffering, avoidable illness and premature death. We increased the capacity of the health system for care and public health in response to COVID-19 and maintained essential health services. Government took action immediately to protect healthy life, like freezing the price of basic foods, medicines and other products, and to protect employment and the economy."
“Amidst one of the biggest health crises in recent history, on this World Health Day it is imperative that we all show our sincere gratitude to the doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, hospital administrators and many other health care workers who work tirelessly to save lives,” says Rossana Dudziak, UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia. “It is our duty to do our best to live healthier lives, to wear masks, practice good hygiene and to keep our distance to put a stop to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many of the foundations that assure children’s access to health, education and child protection,” says Patrizia Di Giovanni, UNICEF Representative. “We see a reduction of the services delivered to children on diagnostics, treatment of chronic illnesses and primary health care, due to parents fearing that children will contract COVID-19. Globally, movement restrictions, quarantines, the switch to distance learning and reduced socialization negatively affected children’s mental health, which has been identified as the key health risk for children directly stemming from the pandemic. As governments around the world have mobilized billions of dollars to save their economies, there is an urgent need to invest in children to ensure the health crisis doesn’t become a child rights crisis.”
“If, before the COVID-19 pandemic, over half of women and girls in the country experienced some kind of violence, now that number is even higher,” says Dr Afrodita Shalja-Plavjanska, Head of Office at UNFPA – United Nations Population Fund office in North Macedonia. “Let’s jointly work so that every woman and girl feels safe and gets the service she needs for her well-being!”.
“COVID-19 has deepened gender inequalities, placing an even greater burden on women health workers,” says Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Head of Office/Programme Specialist at the UN Women office in North Macedonia. “They are key frontline workers against the virus and we all should acknowledge their contribution, and show our support and gratitude.”
“WHO is committed to ensuring that everyone, everywhere, can realize the right to good health,” says Dr Jihane Tawilah, WHO Representative. “Successful national development policies are those targeted to closing health gaps and positively impacting health and well-being. Concerted multisectoral approaches need to be implemented together. At the same time, we urge leaders to monitor health inequities, and to ensure that all people are able to access quality health services when and where they need them.”
A WHO health equity policy tool has identified the following areas with the highest potential for making a difference, especially if they are implemented together:
- reducing the burden of out-of-pocket payments for health, making health care accessible and affordable for everyone;
- strengthening social protection to reduce income inequity and guarantee a basic degree of income security;
- increasing investment in quality and affordable housing and safe, vibrant neighbourhoods;
- proactively helping people to have decent and healthy work and reducing unemployment;
- strengthening education and life-long learning, as improving literacy and numeracy increases people’s ability to take control of their lives; and
- increasing civic participation, reducing crime and generating social connections.
The World Health Day campaign in North Macedonia will roll out from 7 April throughout 2021 using social media and virtual meetings with testimonials from a large number of health equity supporters.