Striving for Universal Health Care Coverage

Striving for Universal Health Care Coverage

The provision of health care is an investment in human capital, and in social and economic development. It contributes to the promotion and protection of human rights and facilitates the full realization of human potential.

Those are some of the reasons why the United Nations included health care for all among the Sustainable Development Goals, to be reached by 2030. To help achieve this goal, in early October the UN adopted Declarations on Pandemic Prevention, Universal Coverage and Fighting Tuberculosis.

The United States applauds the adoption of the three declarations. “The United States is a proud leader and the largest donor in global health, with over $10 billion of assistance provided annually,” said Lisa Carty, United States Permanent Representative to United Nations Economic and Social Council.

“The United States has repeatedly reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to strengthen global health security and its recognition of the need to do more to ensure that our partners around the world are better prepared to address future health threats.”

“The world has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly a billion people infected and over seven million lives lost, along with devastating effects on economies, livelihoods, and health systems,” said Ambassador Carty.

“The pandemic demonstrated that as a global community we were underprepared. We need to address the gaps exposed by COVID-19 and prepare for the future. The United States is incorporating the lessons learned from COVID-19 on an ongoing basis and will continue to do our part to prepare for, and respond to, the next health emergency.”

It should be noted that action regarding “fighting tuberculosis comes at a critical time,” said Ambassador Carty. “While the world continues to take steps towards universal health coverage, and works to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, the age-old scourge of tuberculosis takes more than 1.6 million lives each year.”

“The United States remains the largest bilateral donor to the global effort to end TB, which has saved over 75 million lives to date. For over two decades, we have worked with partners to end TB through surveillance, programs, and research efforts,” she said. “We will continue these collaborations, including through our contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.”

“On Universal Health Coverage,” said Ambassador Carty, the United States applauds continued efforts to advance this priority – an essential building block toward achieving global health equity and strengthening global health security.”