Women Deliver, Inc.

12.4 Universal health coverage

As we recognise that health-related Sustainable Development Goals require accelerated momentum, addressing the integration of emergency care systems is essential for achieving true Universal Health Coverage (UHC) including for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights information and services and robust health system strengthening.

Complications related to pregnancy remain a primary cause of acute critical illness and preventable mortality among women and girls globally. We encourage Member States to ensure that comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care is fully integrated into national Emergency, critical and operative (ECO) frameworks. Eliminating administrative and institutional delays for individuals experiencing reproductive health emergencies is a highly cost-effective intervention to reduce maternal mortality.