Policy Briefing #10: Where are we in the journey to Universal Health Coverage?

On 25 September 2015, the leaders of the 193 United Nations (UN) Member Countries endorsed a resolution outlining an ambitious set of goals and targets to be fulfilled by 2030. Amongst these targets featured universal health coverage (UHC) for all (Goal 3, Target 3.8).

IAPO believes that adequate efforts should be made by all governments in the pursuit of patient-centric universal health coverage for all. For it to be truly and fully patient-centric, UHC policies must appropriately incorporate the principles that are outlined in IAPO’s Principles on: Universal Health Coverage.

The resolution endorsed by all governments and adopted by the UN General Assembly does not only represent a high-level, ambitious, and long-term commitment by which countries have invested their credibility and political capital. It also constitutes an opportunity for the global patient community to advocate for the IAPO principles to be at the heart of the health policies that countries will develop and to hold decision makers accountable.

This month’s policy briefing aims to provide an overview of where we are along the journey to UHC and seeks to identify ways through which patients can effectively impact on policy and decision-making. Doing so will serve to ensure that universal health coverage frameworks and policies are truly centred on patients’ needs.

This month’s policy briefing was written by Grace Melvin (Policy Research Intern) and Antonio Ciaglia (Policy Manager). If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch via email at grace@iapo.org.uk and antonio@iapo.org.uk.

Read the policy briefing on universal health coverage here.

Related Information

• Policy Briefing #1: Patient-Centered Healthcare
• Policy Briefing #2: Patient Information and Health Literacy
• Policy Briefing #3: High quality access to care
• Policy Briefing #4: Patient Involvement in HTA
• ​Policy Briefing #5: Patient Safety 
• Policy Briefing #6: Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation
• Policy Briefing #7 - Pain Management​
• Policy Briefing #8 - Patient Empowerment
• Policy Briefing #9 - Empowered Patients in Research: Moving Beyond Participation​​​
• IAPO's 2017 Member Engagement and Empowerment Plan​​
• IAPO’s Principles on: Universal Health Coverage