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Our health is important, right? Access to health care then, is also really important. So listen to this…
December 12th is Universal Health Coverage Day, a momentous day comprised of a global coalition calling for universal health coverage to be a cornerstone of the sustainable development agenda and a priority for all nations.
The Global Poverty Project has joined 350 organizations around the world to launch UHC Day, which marks the anniversary of a landmark United Nations resolution from December 12, 2012 urging all countries to provide universal access to health care.
So what is universal health coverage, you may ask? Well, it means that every person, everywhere, has access to quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.
As Global Citizens, we know this is important. Very important. And the facts prove that.
Did you know:
· 1 billion people lack basic health care, and 100 million fall into poverty every year trying to access needed services
· 1/3 of households in Africa and Southeast Asia borrow money or sell assets to pay for health care
· Health improvements drove a quarter of full-income growth in developing countries between 2000 and 2011
Those are big numbers.
Health is a human right and a cornerstone of sustainable development and global security. Let’s look at 5 more reasons why #HEALTH FORALL matters:
1. Because no one should go bankrupt when they get sick.
Lack of affordable, quality health care traps families and nations in poverty.
2. Because universal health coverage is attainable.
70 countries, including 30 of the world’s poorest, have passed laws toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
3. Because universal health coverage can help stop the world’s biggest killers.
The poorest and most marginalized populations bear the brunt of preventable maternal deaths and diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer and heart disease).
The Ebola crisis clearly demonstrates the urgent need to strengthen health systems everywhere.
Countries implementing universal health coverage are seeing the benefits: ?healthier communities and stronger economies.
4. Because health transforms communities, economies and nations.
Every $1 invested in health can produce $9-$20 in full-income growth by 2035.
Money that families have to spend on health is money that can’t be spent on ?sending a child to school, starting a business or coping with an emergency.
5. Because health is a right, not a privilege.
Access to quality health care should never depend on where you live, how much money you have, or your race, gender or age.
The World Health Organization’s Constitution affirms that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental human right, and more than half of the world’s countries have included the right to health, public health or medical care in their national constitutions.
Share why #HEALTHFORALL matters to you?
Tweet today: @UHC_Day I support #HEALTHFORALL because every person, everywhere should have access to quality healthcare
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Emily Burgess