154th WHO Executive Board Agenda Item 6: Universal Health Coverage

Below is a statement which Global Health Council shared at the 154th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board.

Health is everyone’s human right, and yet inequality for marginalized and disadvantaged groups has increased. 

To address this, governments must:

Prioritize health in government spending and implement comprehensive and equitable health financing policies that reach marginalized communities.

Disaggregate, analyze, and use health data to identify and address health needs, especially of left-behind groups.

Prioritize primary health care and provide a comprehensive health benefits package so all people have access to quality health services. 

Ensure gender equality in health systems leadership and decision-making at all levels

Strengthen the health and care workforce by creating safe and dignified working conditions, close the gender pay gap, and recognize and remunerate unpaid and underpaid health and care workers, including community health workers.

Lastly, support Thailand and Slovenia’s social participation resolution to design, implement, and monitor UHC programs, policies, and frameworks that focus on the needs of vulnerable populations.