Universal Health Coverage: Streamlining Health Equity
Universal health coverage (UHC) – defined as all people
having access to quality health services without suffering
the financial hardship associated with paying for care –
is the overarching vision for health sector development
(WHO, 2013a). Over the past decade, Member States
of the Western Pacific Region have made significant
health gains and commitments to UHC. Many Member
States are addressing in their health system reforms the
essential attributes of high-performing health systems:
quality, efficiency, equity, accountability, sustainability and resilience. However, the Western Pacific Region
faces challenges posed by changing epidemiological and
demographic profiles, urbanization and migration, climate change, emerging diseases, and disparities within
countries. Sustainable financing is needed along with
responsive services. Progress towards UHC needs to be
accelerated. In 2012 and 2013, an extensive review of
the six Western Pacific Region health systems strategies
highlighted Member States’ desire for a whole-of-system
approach to health system development and their commitment to advance UHC. A 2014 progress report on
UHC to the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (WHO, 2014a) also emphasized the importance of
country-specific approaches to UHC in national health
policies and strategies. Universal Health Coverage: Moving Towards Better Health is an action framework that
has been developed to support countries in realizing this
vision of better health through UHC. It outlines shared
principles of UHC and reflects the values of the World
Health Organization (WHO) Constitution, the Health
for All agenda set by the Alma-Ata Declaration in 1978
and multiple World Health Assembly resolutions.
