On Friday 6th December 2019, health stakeholders from all over the world will stand together, united in a celebration of Patient Solidarity Day (PSD). This will be the seventh year running that we have joined hands to mark the Day.

On PSD 2019, IAPO members, patients, various healthcare organizations, policy-makers, academia, institutions, industry and other stakeholders will come together to call for acceleration of progress for Safe Patient-Centred Universal Health Coverage.

This year has been a great year for global health advocacy! We have seen two global health governance bodies adopt resolutions that will advance global health for years to come. In May 2019 IAPO was present at the 72nd World Health Assembly where 194 Member States of the World Health Organization adopted the Resolution WHA 72.6 Global Action on Patient Safety.Then in September 2019, IAPO witnessed 193 Member States of the United Nations (UN) adopt an action-orientated Political Declaration of the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (PD UN HLM UHC) on the first day of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 74). In line with this, since IAPO’s establishment in 1999, almost twenty years ago, we have been advocating for Patient-Centred healthcare globally. Our 2006 Declaration on Patient-Centred Healthcare continues to endure.

Now, for PSD2019, IAPO and all its members will end our 20th year with a Patient Solidarity Day 2019 call to action that ensures the UN and WHO Member States, their Heads of State and Ministers of Health, implement the measures they have adopted under WHA 72.6 Global Action on Patient Safety Resolution and the PD UN HLM UHC and ensure we all realize our right to health and therefore accelerating progress for Safe Patient-Centred Universal Health Coverage by 2030.