As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the Universal Health Coverage Day 2017, United Nations has called on all countries to make quality healthcare available and accessible to all citizens, as health is considered as a human right.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) through a press release, noted that Universal Health Coverage Day, is commemorated each 12 December, and it is the anniversary of the first unanimous United Nations resolution calling for countries to provide affordable, quality healthcare to every person, everywhere.
Demanding corresponding action from every country, the statement reads in part: “We have a long way to go until everyone—no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have—can get the quality healthcare they need and deserve”.
The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros, said, “I envision a world in which everyone can live healthy, productive lives, regardless of who they are or where they live”.
Among several activities planned to mark the UHC Day around the world, is the historic UHC Forum in Tokyo from 12-15 December to galvanize collective action toward #HealthforAll. The forum is hosted by the Government of Japan, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF, UHC2030 and JICA
The commemoration of the UHD Day in Nigeria is themed: “Financing Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria”, holding at the Rock View Hotal, Wuse II, Abuja.
UHC is a means to promote the human right to health, and countries of all income levels are pursuing policy reforms to achieve it. More than 100 low- and middle-income countries, home to almost 3/4 of the world’s population, have taken steps to deliver UHC.
The emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS)—representing almost half the world’s population—are all taking steps toward UHC.
