Supporting the WHO response to the COVID-19 pandemic - Old

Strong health systems are the foundation of an effective response to COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to test health systems and expose gaps in health security. The UHC Partnership supports WHO’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of countries to address the impacts of the pandemic, maintain essential health services and protect communities from future health threats. Learn how the UHC Partnership’s responsive country support, enabled by flexible funding from its donors and extensive technical expertise on the ground, delivers sustainable impact to national health systems.

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Countries supported by the UHC Partnership

Country support

The UHC Partnership supports WHO country offices in working closely with governments to protect communities from the impacts of COVID-19, maintain essential health services, and to ensure that countries are better equipped to face future health threats by advancing universal health coverage (UHC).

US$ 73.6M

Additional funding to tackle COVID-19

Funding

The UHC Partnership is supported and funded by WHO, the European Union, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Government of Japan – Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the United Kingdom – Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Belgium, Canada and Germany.

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Health policy advisors on the ground

Impact

Live monitoring of WHO Country Support Plans provides a unique opportunity for WHO and its partners to review progress and actively engage in regular dialogue on the support provided to Member States to deliver on their UHC goals and strengthen their COVID-19 response.

Featured report

Implementing a primary health care approach towards universal health coverage in the COVID-19 era: Universal health coverage partnership annual report 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents an opportunity for countries to emerge with stronger health systems and to chart a more aggressive path towards achieving health for all.

As soon as COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, WHO, through the UHC Partnership, has been working to ensure that the investments made throughout the COVID-19 response will have a lasting impact in building and maintaining country preparedness and health systems that protect everyone, everywhere from the pandemic and future threats to health. COVID-19 has exposed health inequalities and amplified them, revealing clear socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities. COVID-19 cases and deaths in deprived areas are double those of more advantaged areas. In 2020, the UHC Partnership placed a special focus on overcoming the gaps related to the lack of inclusion of populations, communities and civil society organizations in COVID-19 committees at country level. Moreover, mitigation measures – such as lockdowns – restrain access to health services and involve deterioration in social and economic conditions that in turn affect mental and physical health. In addition, people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill or dying from COVID-19. Health equity needs to be taken much more seriously and the UHC Partnership is dedicated to building back fairer, healthier societies.

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