Universal Health Coverage Day 2022

Each year, 12th December is dedicated to universal health coverage, which marks the date to call all leaders to make smarter investments and accelerate efforts towards “Health for All”. This year it is commemorated under the theme “Build the world we want: A healthy future for all”. In this world, regardless of financial stability, everyone should have equal access to healthcare. It is the responsibility of the country's leaders to create an environment in which people can access healthcare without financial hardship.

Universal health coverage lifts people out of poverty, promotes well-being of families and communities, protects against public health crises and moves us towards health for all. This year’s theme, “Build the world we want: A healthy future for all”, emphasises the importance of equity, trust, health environments, investments, and accountability in order to build strong health systems.

What is Universal Health Coverage?

Health is essential for everyone in this world to live a fruitful life. People face difficulties in this regard because maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires money, but not every country provides free healthcare, and some states charge excessive rates for health services. Because poor people cannot afford these, they are unconcerned about their health. It is for this reason that a Universal Health Coverage Day was established in order to eliminate this situation.

Services, products, finances, people, policies, and information should all work together to improve health coverage, even in times of crisis and good health systems. Through health coverage, it is not only necessary to treat sick people, but also to inform and promote good health qualities to people all over the world, regardless of their financial situation.

Universal Health Coverage Day is an opportunity to celebrate progress and raise awareness about what is needed to provide essential health care to families and communities around the world. This year marks the 75th anniversary of making good health a reality for everyone, regardless of one’s financial circumstances.

Campaign Objectives:

• Acknowledge and celebrate the progress of universal health coverage across the world.
• Raise awareness to urge governments to increase their investments in building a sustainable and durable health system capable of providing high-quality, affordable, people-centred lifelong participatory primary healthcare to all.
• Emphasise that the time has come to re-prioritize Universal Health Coverage, and that in order for health systems to work, they must work for everyone.

Universal health coverage is said to be one of the best investments a country can make. Health is a human right, not a luxury. However, due to poverty, it is difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When people are healthy, they can work, invest, and do any type of work that will help a country's economy grow. A government can make a poor person as healthy as a rich person through health coverage because poor people are always the victims of unhealthy lifestyles since they cannot afford the charges, health tools and products.

Finally, wishing everyone a very happy Universal Health Coverage Day! May we all be able to create a world in which medical services are available to everyone regardless of their financial situation.