Health to all. As every year, on April 7, 2023, World Health Day is celebrated, an important date to reflect on the importance of taking care of our health and well-being in an increasingly changing world. This year, the main theme of the celebration is “Health for All”, which highlights the need to address health inequalities that affect millions of people around the world.
The key messages of the WHO byto the general public, in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of this day revolve around:
The "health for all" approach is intended to ensure that all people enjoy good health to lead a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.
Through the “health for all” approach, it is intended that all people have access to essential health services and enjoy good health to lead a fulfilling life in a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. This is essential to promote equality and the well-being of people, as well as to guarantee the sustainability of our communities and the planet in general. Despite advances in healthcare, many people still lack access to essential services, making it more important than ever to continue working towards “health for all”.
The right to health is a basic human right. All people should have access to the health services they need when and where they need them without financial hardship.
Access to health services is a fundamental human right, but unfortunately not all people have the same opportunity to access them. Around the world, many people are forced to forego the medical care they need due to financial problems. This is especially worrying in developing countries, where lack of access to essential health services can have devastating consequences. Therefore, it is crucial that work continues to ensure that all people have access to the health services they need, regardless of their economic situation.
30% of the world population cannot access essential health services.
Despite significant advances in global health in recent decades, there are still large numbers of people around the world who do not have access to essential health services. In fact, 30% of the world's population cannot access these services, which means that many people are at risk of preventable disease, injury and death. Importantly, this lack of access to healthcare is particularly common in low- and middle-income countries, reflecting the deep inequalities in the distribution of wealth and resources globally.
Nearly 2000 billion people face catastrophic or impoverishing healthcare costs, with significant inequalities affecting those in the most vulnerable environments.
Alarmingly, nearly 2000 billion people around the world face catastrophic or impoverishing health spending, demonstrating a lack of equitable access to quality health services. This situation is exacerbated for those who are already in more vulnerable environments, increasing health inequalities. It is necessary to address this issue and work to ensure that all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to essential health services.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) provides financial protection and access to quality essential services, lifts people out of poverty, promotes the well-being of families and communities, protects against public health crises and moves us towards #HealthForAll.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is essential to ensure that all people have access to quality health services and financial protection in case of illness. The CSU is not only a means to improve individual health, but it is also a key factor in promoting family and community well-being. In addition, by reducing out-of-pocket health costs, the CSU can lift people out of poverty and protect them from catastrophic health costs. The implementation of the CSU is essential to move towards #SaludParaTodos, since it allows all people to have access to the health services they need, regardless of their socioeconomic situation or geographic location.
To make health for all a reality, we need: people and communities with access to high-quality health services so they can take care of their own health and that of their families; skilled health workers delivering quality people-centred care; and policy makers who are committed to investing in universal health coverage.
World Health Day is a call to action to achieve “health for all”. To make this goal a reality, it is essential to ensure that individuals and communities have access to high-quality health services in order to care for their own health and that of their families. In addition, we need skilled healthcare workers to provide quality, people-centered care. Finally, policy makers must be committed to investing in universal health coverage to make healthcare accessible and affordable for all. Only then can we move towards a fairer and healthier world for all.
Evidence shows that health systems driven by a primary health care (PHC) approach are the most efficient and cost-effective way to bring health and wellness services closer to people.
On World Health Day, it is important to remember the importance of primary health care (PHC) in access to effective and affordable health services. Health systems driven by a PHC approach are critical to ensuring that people have access to high-quality health services, from prevention to treatment and ongoing care. Evidence shows that investing in a PHC approach is the most efficient and cost-effective way to bring health and wellness services closer to people, especially those in remote and socially disadvantaged areas. Furthermore, a strong PHC system is crucial to ensure an effective response to public health crises.
COVID-19 delayed the progress of all countries towards #HealthForAll.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact around the world, not only in terms of people's health and well-being, but also on progress towards universal health coverage and health for all. Health systems have been overwhelmed by the pandemic, leading to the disruption of essential health services, increased poverty and inequality, and a lack of access to healthcare for many people. While the pandemic has had a negative impact on efforts towards health for all, it has also highlighted the importance of strong and resilient health systems, as well as investing in universal health coverage to ensure that all people have access. to quality health services at any time and place.
COVID-19 and other health emergencies, overlapping humanitarian and climate crises, economic constraints and war have made it more urgent for all countries to move towards #HealthForAll. The time has come for leaders to take action to meet their commitments to universal health coverage and for civil society to hold them to account.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call to the world about the importance of public health and the need to move towards #HealthForAll. Health, humanitarian and climate crises, along with economic constraints and war, have exacerbated inequalities in access to essential health services. It is essential that leaders commit to fulfilling their obligations to ensure universal health coverage and that civil society demands transparency and accountability. Only through collaboration and commitment can true equity in access to care be achieved and improve the health and well-being of all people.
Progress needs to be accelerated to meet the health-related SDGs.
On World Health Day, it is important to reflect on the challenges we face in achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although we have made significant progress in the last decade, much remains to be done. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health inequities, but it has also highlighted the need to work together as a global community to address these challenges. We must accelerate our efforts and work collaboratively to achieve universal health coverage and improve the health and well-being of all people around the world.