WHO

World Health Organization member countries issued a political declaration on May 28 at the end of the 72nd World Health Assembly expressing their commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The key points of the document include the need to prioritize disease prevention, eliminate the financial barriers restricting access to health, and strengthen international cooperation. The issue will return to the table within the framework of the UN High-Level Meeting on UHC to be held on September 23 in the US during the UN General Assembly.

The Heads of State and Government representatives committed to “the reaffirmation of the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,” within the framework of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. They acknowledged that the UHC requires long-term investments, implying a paradigm shift, and reiterated their political commitment to tackling health issues. The countries also pledged to drive policies to address the social, economic, commercial and environmental determinants of health, prioritizing disease prevention and an active healthy lifestyle, eliminating the financial barriers preventing people’s access to health and inviting all relevant actors to take part, including civil society as well as strengthening international cooperation to achieve the UHC.

The WHO also defined a series of priorities until its next summit in May 2020. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization’s vision “is a world in which people do not suffer simply because they are poor.” Some of the goals highlighted by the Director were tackling antimicrobial resistance (to ensure drug effectiveness and prevent 700,000 deaths per year), improving patient safety (to prevent adverse effects during care), the move towards transparent drug pricing (to ensure fair and accessible prices), and emphasizing international statistical classification of diseases (to identify trends in health conditions). The UHC will be a major issue on the 2020 Summit agenda and will also be discussed in depth during the next high-level meeting.