World Health Organization Leader Says Universal Health Coverage is a ‘Rights Issue’

When Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the new director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), talks about the importance of universal health coverage, he often brings up the story of his younger brother who died from a common disease—possibly measles—when they were both children. “We were living under the same roof, even sharing a bed,” said Dr. Tedros (as he prefers to be called) during an interview moderated by TIME on Sept. 17. “He died. I survived. It was just luck. Why do we allow this to happen?” Though he’s held his role for less than three months, Tedros has made it clear that the United Nations health organization will be pushing hard for universal health coverage— a hotly debated topic in the United States—during his tenure. Tedros made his case for it during the Social Good Summit in New York City, an annual event leading up the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). “Universal health coverage should be [viewed] as a rights issue,” said Tedros during the panel interview. “Many families are getting into poverty because they are spending their savings for health care services.” The WHO defines universal health care as a health system that provides services to citizens without putting them at a financial risk. Today, an estimated 400 million people around the world lack access to one or more essential health services, and every year, 100 million people are pushed into poverty due ...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized dr. tedros Health Care health coverage Social Good Summit Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus UNGA United Nations General Assembly Universal Health Coverage what is universal health care what is universal health coverage World H Source Type: news