WHO/K. Cabali
Universal Health Coverage Day, commemorated each 12 December, is the anniversary of the first unanimous United Nations resolution calling for countries to provide affordable, quality health care to every person, everywhere.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means that all people can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while not experiencing undue financial hardship. UHC, by strengthening the five key health systems attributes of quality, efficiency, equity, accountability, and sustainability and resilience, is a platform for achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. The SDGs demand that no one is left behind, and this requires a whole-of-system, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society approach that breaks silos and embraces all stakeholders.
In 2015, the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific endorsed a regional action framework entitled Universal Health Coverage: Moving Towards Better Health. The framework supports Member States to develop their own UHC road maps by tailoring interconnected actions as part of their national health policy and planning processes. A UHC Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was established to support countries to learn from each other and work together, along with distinguished experts and other advisers, to identify priorities for the way forward. In Manila, the first meeting of the UHC TAG will take place this week, starting on Universal Health Coverage Day, to advise Member States on key issues for the Region, focusing on service delivery, and governance and financing, so as to improve equity in access to quality services, and essential public health functions.
“WHO and Western Pacific Member States are committed to the advancement of Universal Health Coverage. All countries, no matter how rich or poor, can take steps to improve the quality of services, reduce gaps between need and use of services and improve financial protection,” said Dr Shin Young-Soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
The theme of this year’s Universal Health Coverage Day event at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific is “M” for Health … Health for “M”, expressing the message that health is a shared commitment by all stakeholders, including “My region, My country, My community, My family and Myself”, who are ultimately the beneficiaries of improved health outcomes for all at all ages. Achieving better health requires collective action by Member States moving towards UHC, and maintaining the momentum.