Universal Health Coverage Day: ensuring the right to health, leaving no one behind

13 December 2017, Cairo ‒ At least 3.5 billion people, or half of the world’s population, cannot obtain essential health services and each year, larger numbers of households are being pushed into poverty because they have to pay for health care out of their own pockets a new report from the World Health Organization and World Bank has revealed. The release of the report coincides with Universal Health Coverage Day, commemorated each 12 December, which is the anniversary of the first unanimous United Nations resolution calling for countries to provide affordable, quality health care to every person, everywhere without exposing people to financial hardship.  Currently, 800 million people spend at least 10% of their household budget on health expenses. For almost 100 million people these costs have been enough to tip them into extreme poverty, forcing them to survive on just US$ 1.90 or less a day. Universal health coverage means health for all, an idea which is embedded in the human right to health. It is completely unacceptable that half the world still lacks coverage for the most essential health services,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “And it is unnecessary. A solution exists: universal health coverage allows everyone to obtain the health services they need, when and where they need them, without facing financial hardship.” In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, around 40% of health expenditure comes direc...
Source: WHO EMRO News - Category: Middle East Health Source Type: news