The World Health Organization (WHO) was founded on the idea that all people can acknowledge their right to the highest possible level of health. For over seven decades, “Health for all” has been the guiding vision for World Health Day.
“Health for all” is also the incentive behind the current organization-wide drive to support countries in moving towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Although some countries have made substantial progress towards Universal Health Coverage, half of the world’s population is still unable to acquire the health services they need.
According to WHO, almost 100 million people are being pushed into extreme poverty – attempting to survive on as little as $1.90 or less per day because they must pay out of pocket for healthcare. Acquiring catastrophic expenses for healthcare is a global issue: In wealthier countries in Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia, which have achieved high levels of access to health services, growing numbers of people are spending at least 10 percent of their household funds on out of pocket health expenses.
For the 2018 campaign, the World Health Organization is encouraging the following actions:
To truly make health services universal, there will have to be a shift from designing health systems around diseases and institutions towards health services designed around and for people.
“No one should have to choose between death and financial hardship. No one should have to choose between buying medicine and buying food.”
– Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
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