LEAVE NO ONE'S HEALTH BEHIND: INVEST IN HEALTH SYSTEMS FOR ALL
The International UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE DAY is celebrated every 12th of December to create awareness on the need for a stronger and better financially backed up health care system especially for developing and under-developing countries.
Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people and communities irrespective of their financial capability receive the health services that they need without suffering financial hardship.
Universal Health Coverage is promoted as an instrument to help advance the more broadly conceived human right to health, which is based upon a number of international documents. Universal health coverage has been included in the new Sustainable Development Goals for 2015 - 2030, adopted by the United Nations.
ACCESSING HEALTH
Majority of the world's population does not have full coverage of essential health services, and each year about 100 million people are pushed into "extreme poverty". Essential health services involve all factors such as prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care through one's life.
Universal health coverage involves not only accessibility but also affordability. This is a major problem for people living in developing and under-developed countries.
BENEFITS
There is equalized health care, with no doctors or hospitals targeting only the wealthy doctors.
It lowers health care costs for the country's economy
In children, proper treatment and cautiousness helps to reduce risk of chronic diseases. Financial constraints have prevented thousands of children from receiving the best healthcare services but with universal healthcare, every child's health is assured
CHALLENGES
Poorly funded primary health care system
Large proportion of the population living in extreme poverty with little or nothing to cover health services
High dropout rate from insurance schemes
Large informal sector whose members are mostly uninsured
The goals by 2030 are that countries will:
Raise sufficient revenue to finance their health care systems
Make health care in rural areas accessible and affordable
Improve and provide better health coverage for the poor
Reduce the proportion of the population that is under-insured
REFERENCES
UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE ADVOCACY GUIDE https://www.uhc2030.org
Challenges toward achieving universal health coverage in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. International Journal of Health Planning and Management 33(9). Chukwuemeka Umeh.August 2018.DOI:10.1002/hpm.2610
Learn about Universal Health Care: Definition , Advantages and Disadvantages. Written by the MasterClass staff. Last updated: Aug 20, 2021
Rachel Napit. 8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Universal Health Care. February 29, 2020
^Bailey, R. Highlighting water, sanitation and hygiene on Universal Health Coverage Day, Water Aid Global . Accessed February, 2016
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