Universal Health Coverage Day

Universal Health Coverage Day is a celebration that unites supporters of the movement to provide people with quality and affordable health care services. Unfortunately, half of the world’s population does not have access to adequate medical care, and 10% of people are driven into debt due to excessive medical expenses.

History

Universal Health Coverage Day was founded in 2017 by the UN General Assembly. Five years prior to this, on December 12, the UN called on governments to take action and increase access to health services. This is especially urgent in countries with middle and low incomes, and the movement continues throughout the year.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted many of the problems that already exist in countries thought to have successful healthcare systems. The pandemic has shown that modern medicine can be overwhelmed by virus threats, as hospitals around the world were unable to cope with the influx of patients, and there was a severe shortage of artificial respiration machines. Additionally, many people did not know how to treat and prevent the disease.

Interesting facts

• International experts predict that by 2023, around 3.1 billion people will lack access to quality medical services. One third of these will be in South Asia.
• More than 800 women die every day due to complications during childbirth.
• Half of the children in Zambia die from malaria.

How to take part

Rather than celebrating Universal Health Coverage Day, people are focusing on raising awareness of the issue. This applies to healthcare workers, organizations, investors, business owners and ordinary people. Even a teacher who informs students about ways to deal with ailments can become a participant in the campaign. Look up the UN theme for the year and share the information with others!

When is Universal Health Coverage Day celebrated in 2023?

Universal Health Coverage Day is observed on December 12 each year.

Observations