2023 UHC Day Message of Dr Sarah Barber, Director, WHO Centre for Health Development
On 12 December, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) day, we at the WHO Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre - WKC) are encouraged by the renewed commitment of the global community to achieving UHC for all, arising from the United Nations Political Declaration on UHC in New York on 21 September 2023.
With the theme this year being “Health for All: Time for Action”, WKC affirms that UHC is central to achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Health service coverage and financial protection are two key indicators that measure progress on UHC. WKC’s research on unmet needs, particularly of older populations, contributed to the 2023 WHO-World Bank Global Monitoring Report on UHC, and informed discussions at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on UHC in September 2023.
Financing UHC is an investment, not a cost. Importantly, improving the quality of care for people with chronic conditions is key to reducing preventable deaths and advancing UHC. With rapid population ageing, changes are needed in how to pay for chronic care that provides incentives for quality.
Our work on the WHO Flagship Project with partners at WHO Headquarters and the OECD on purchasing arrangements to strengthen quality care for chronic diseases explored whether different types of payment arrangements incentivised healthcare providers to provide better quality care for chronic conditions.
While rigorous evaluations of effectiveness are still lacking, case studies in eight countries* found what facilitated the delivery of quality chronic care included health information systems and technology, strong leadership and multistakeholder engagement. Our evidence shows there should be a stronger focus on healthcare delivery models and how payments can support changes in service delivery mechanisms to improve quality.
This UHC Day, we join with millions around the world in urging leaders to make smarter investments in health to move the world closer to UHC by 2030 and deliver health for all. The consequences of underinvesting in UHC are unaffordable.
*For more information, see the case studies on Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa and Spain.