World Health Day 2018: Fight for universal healthcare

The World Health Organization (WHO) is organizing their 70th annual World Health Day on April 7 and it has been dedicated to universal healthcare for all. The goal of World Health Day 2018 is to further the fight for universal healthcare

According to the World Health Organization, half the world is lacking healthcare This year marks the World Health Organization's 70th annual World Health Day. According to the organization's website, their goal is a world where everyone has access to the healthcare services they need without having to worry about going into debt paying for them.

The World Health Organization was founded on the principle that all people should be able to realize their right to the highest possible level of health. “Health for all” has therefore been our guiding vision for more than seven decades. It’s also the impetus behind the current organization-wide drive to support countries in moving towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Experience has illustrated, time and again, that Universal Health Coverage is achieved when political will is strong. So in this 70th anniversary year, WHO is calling on world leaders to live up to the pledges they made when they agreed the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, and commit to concrete steps to advance the health of all people. This means ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardship.

Why universal health coverage matters?
Countries that invest in UHC make a sound investment in their human capital. In recent decades, UHC has emerged as a key strategy to make progress towards other health-related and broader development goals. Access to essential quality care and financial protection not only enhances people’s health and life expectancy, it also protects countries from epidemics, reduces poverty and the risk of hunger, creates jobs, drives economic growth and enhances gender equality, according to www.who.int