Tracking universal health coverage: 2017 Global Monitoring Report Joint WHO/World Bank Group report, December 2017

Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people can obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. This report looks at how many people globally lack access to essential health services and how many are pushed into poverty or spending too much of their household budgets on health care expenses. It shows that, although they may have access to some health services, more than half of the world’s more than 7.3 billion people do not receive all of the essential services they need. In terms of financial protection, over 800 million people spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets to pay for health care, and about 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty due to their health expenditures.

Click Source to Download Report/s: 

http://www.who.int/healthinfo/universal_health_coverage/report/2017/en/?utm_source=WHO+List&utm_campaign=6224464e14-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_823e9e35c1-6224464e14-266698981

• Full report
  pdf, 2.50Mb
• Executive summary
  pdf, 2.52Mb
• Press release
• Technical note on service coverage gap
  pdf, 399kb
• Infographics
  pdf, 10.48Mb

Background information

Selected coverage data from the Global Health Observatory

• Universal health coverage data portal

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Video

Universal health coverage - the best investment for a safer, fairer and healthier world

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Lancet Global Health

• Monitoring universal health coverage within the Sustainable Development Goals: development and baseline data for an index of essential health services
  Hogan DR, Stevens GA, Hosseinpoor AR, Boerma T.
• Progress on catastrophic health spending: results for 133 countries. A retrospective observational study
  Wagstaff A, Flores G, Hsu J, Smitz M-F, Chepynoga K, Buisman LR, van Wilgenburg K and Eozenou P.
• Progress on impoverishing health spending: results for 122 countries. A retrospective observational study
  Wagstaff A, Flores G, Smitz M-F, Hsu J, Chepynoga K and Eozenou P.

World Health Organization: Universal Health Coverage UHC is the practical expression of the right to health

It means that all people, including the most disadvantaged, can access the quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without facing financial hardship.

But UHC is about more than health insurance, or treating the sick – it’s about protecting the healthy by promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing disease.

The power of UHC is that it doesn’t only result in improved health. It also reduces poverty by eliminating one of its causes; it creates jobs for health and care workers; it drives inclusive economic growth by ensuring people are healthy and able to work; it promotes gender equality, because it is often women who miss out on health services; and it protects people against epidemics by ensuring outbreaks are prevented, detected early and contained.

UHC is not a new idea. But its inclusion as one of the targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has given new political impetus to the global movement that has been gathering pace for some years. It is also the one target that, if achieved, will catalyze progress towards all the other health targets and many of the other goals.

Far from being a luxury that only rich countries can afford, UHC is achievable and affordable for all countries, at all income levels.

Senegal, for example, is making progress towards a publicly-funded health insurance system.

In Vietnam, more than 60% of the population, and 90% of the poor, are now covered by state-subsidized social health insurance. That’s six times more than 20 years ago.

In Peru, budget-funded health insurance for the poor and those who do not work in the formal sector has led to significant improvements in the health of women and children, and large reductions in the death of newborns and infants.

Similar stories can be told in countries as diverse as the Czech Republic, Indonesia and Rwanda.

A WHO study earlier this year predicted that among 67 low- and middle-income countries that account for 75% of the world’s population, 85% of the costs of achieving the SDG health targets by 2030 could be met with domestic resources.

Yes, some of the most fragile countries will continue to need external assistance. But for most countries, UHC is affordable and achievable.

Ultimately, it’s a matter of political will.

Governments with the determination, courage and foresight to invest in strengthening their health systems towards UHC will reap the benefits long into the future.

This is our vision. We back it up with hard evidence, technical know-how and lessons from around the world about what works and what doesn’t.

At the UHC Forum in Tokyo this week, more countries are committing to making the investments in a future that is healthier, safer and fairer for their citizens.

Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/12/healthcare-costs-are-pushing-millions-into-extreme-poverty-this-outrage-must-end?utm_source=WHO+List&utm_campaign=6224464e14-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_823e9e35c1-6224464e14-266698981

Health is a fundamental human right - World Health Organization #WHO

“The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition”.

Almost 70 years after these words were adopted in the Constitution of the World Health Organization, they are more powerful and relevant than ever.

Since day one, the right to health has been central to WHO’s identity and mandate. It is at the heart of my top priority: universal health coverage.

The right to health for all people means that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship.

No one should get sick and die just because they are poor, or because they cannot access the health services they need.

Good health is also clearly determined by other basic human rights including access to safe drinking water and sanitation, nutritious foods, adequate housing, education and safe working conditions.

The right to health also means that everyone should be entitled to control their own health and body, including having access to sexual and reproductive information and services, free from violence and discrimination.

Everyone has the right to privacy and to be treated with respect and dignity. Nobody should be subjected to medical experimentation, forced medical examination, or given treatment without informed consent.

That’s why WHO promotes the idea of people-centred care; it is the embodiment of human rights in the practice of care.

When people are marginalized or face stigma or discrimination, their physical and mental health suffers. Discrimination in health care is unacceptable and is a major barrier to development.

But when people are given the opportunity to be active participants in their own care, instead of passive recipients, their human rights respected, the outcomes are better and health systems become more efficient.

We have a long way to go until everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have – has access to these basic human rights.

The central principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to ensure that no one is left behind.

I call on all countries to respect and protect human rights in health – in their laws, their health policies and programmes. We must all work together to combat inequalities and discriminatory practices so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of good health, no matter their age, sex, race, religion, health status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or migration status.

Health is a fundamental human right

Human Rights Day 2017

Statement by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/fundamental-human-right/en/?utm_source=WHO+List&utm_campaign=6224464e14-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_823e9e35c1-6224464e14-266698981

World Bank and WHO: Half the world lacks access to essential health services, 100 million still pushed into extreme poverty because of health expenses

News release

13 DECEMBER 2017 | TOKYO - At least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services, according to a new report from the World Bank and WHO. And each year, large numbers of households are being pushed into poverty because they must pay for health care out of their own pockets.

Currently, 800 million people spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member. For almost 100 million people these expenses are high enough to push them into extreme poverty, forcing them to survive on just $1.90 or less a day. The findings, released today in Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2017 Global Monitoring Report, have been simultaneously published in Lancet Global Health.

"It is completely unacceptable that half the world still lacks coverage for the most essential health services," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. "And it is unnecessary. A solution exists: universal health coverage (UHC) allows everyone to obtain the health services they need, when and where they need them, without facing financial hardship."

"The report makes clear that if we are serious – not just about better health outcomes, but also about ending poverty – we must urgently scale up our efforts on universal health coverage," said World Bank Group President Dr. Jim Yong Kim. "Investments in health, and more generally investments in people, are critical to build human capital and enable sustainable and inclusive economic growth. But the system is broken: we need a fundamental shift in the way we mobilize resources for health and human capital, especially at the country level. We are working on many fronts to help countries spend more and more effectively on people, and increase their progress towards universal health coverage."

There is some good news: The report shows that the 21st century has seen an increase in the number of people able to obtain some key health services, such as immunization and family planning, as well as antiretroviral treatment for HIV and insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria. In addition, fewer people are now being tipped into extreme poverty than at the turn of the century.

Progress, however, is very uneven.

There are wide gaps in the availability of services in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. In other regions, basic health care services such as family planning and infant immunization are becoming more available, but lack of financial protection means increasing financial distress for families as they pay for these services out of their own pockets. This is even a challenge in more affluent regions such as Eastern Asia, Latin America and Europe, where a growing number of people are spending at least 10 percent of their household budgets on out-of-pocket health expenses. Inequalities in health services are seen not just between, but also within countries: national averages can mask low levels of health service coverage in disadvantaged population groups. For example, only 17 percent of mothers and children in the poorest fifth of households in low- and lower-middle income countries received at least six of seven basic maternal and child health interventions, compared to 74 percent for the wealthiest fifth of households.

The report is a key point of discussion at the global Universal Health Coverage Forum 2017, currently taking place in Tokyo, Japan. Convened by the Government of Japan, a leading supporter of UHC domestically and globally, the Forum is cosponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UHC2030, the leading global movement advocating for UHC, UNICEF, the World Bank, and WHO. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank President Kim, WHO Director-General Tedros and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake will all be in attendance, in addition to heads of state and ministers from over 30 countries.

"Past experiences taught us that designing a robust health financing mechanism that protects each individual vulnerable person from financial hardship, as well as developing health care facilities and a workforce including doctors to provide necessary health services wherever people live, are critically important in achieving 'Health for All,'" said Mr. Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. "I firmly believe that these early-stage investments for UHC by the whole government were an important enabling factor in Japan’s rapid economic development later on."

The Forum is the culmination of events in over 100 countries, which began on Dec. 12—Universal Health Coverage Day—to highlight the growing global momentum on UHC. It seeks to showcase the strong high-level political commitment to UHC at global and country levels, highlight the experiences of countries that have been pathfinders on UHC progress, and add to the knowledge base on how to strengthen health systems and effectively promote UHC.

The main high-level sessions of the Forum take place tomorrow, Dec. 14, and will also feature an all-day “innovation showcase,” highlighting innovations driving progress in health systems around the world, and a celebratory public event in the evening. A commitment to action, called the Tokyo Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, will be released during the Forum’s closing ceremony.

"Without health care, how can children reach their full potential? And without a healthy, productive population, how can societies realize their aspirations?" said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. "Universal health coverage can help level the playing field for children today, in turn helping them break intergenerational cycles of poverty and poor health tomorrow."

Building on the G7 Ise-Shima Summit and the TICAD VI in 2016, both of which stress the need for UHC, the Forum in Tokyo is seen as a milestone for accelerating progress towards the target of UHC by 2030, a key part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Countries will then gear up for the next global moment: a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on UHC in 2019.

Note to editors

The World Bank/WHO UHC Global Monitoring Report, issued regularly, measures the proportion of a population that can access essential quality health services, and the proportion of the population that spends a large amount of household income on health. It also evaluates the overall level and the extent to which UHC is equitable - offering service coverage and financial protection to all people within a population, such as the poor or those living in remote rural areas. The report uses 16 essential health services as indicators of the level and equity of coverage in countries.

For further information, please contact:

In Tokyo

Mamiko Yoshizu
WHO
Communications Officer
Mobile: +81-90-9055-0338
Email: yoshizum@who.int

Simeon Bennett
WHO
Communications Officer
Mobile: +41-79-472-7429
Email: simeonb@who.int

Anugraha (Anu) Palan
World Bank Group
Mobile: +1-240-565-4078
Email: apalan@worldbank.org

Tomoko Hirai
World Bank Group
Mobile: +81-3-3597-6665
Email: thirai@worldbank.org

In Geneva

Gregory Hartl
WHO
Spokesperson
Mobile: +41-79-203-6715
Email: hartlg@who.int

In Washington, DC

Huma Imtiaz
World Bank Group
Mobile: +1-202-290-4864
Email: himtiaz@worldbankgroup.org

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Guidelines on How to Respond to Children and Adolescents who have been Sexually Abused

"Health workers should minimize the need for survivors to repeatedly tell their history. Always listen attentively when survivors recount their stories, and don’t interpret or judge their account."

Ian Askew, WHO Director, Department of Reproductive Health and Research

First, always provide care without discrimination. This means, recognize that a woman may face multiple forms of discrimination – in addition to being a woman; because of her race, ethnicity, class, socio-economic background, caste, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other characteristics – or because she has been subjected to violence.

Second, never raise the issue of partner violence unless a woman is alone. Even if she is with another woman, that woman could be the mother or sister of an abuser. If you do ask her about violence, do it in an empathic, nonjudgmental manner. Always use language that is appropriate and relevant to the culture and community you are working in, as some women may be uncomfortable with the words “violence” and “abuse”.

Last, remember the principle of “do no harm”. Health workers should minimize the need for survivors to repeatedly tell their history. Always listen attentively when survivors recount their stories, and don’t interpret or judge their account.

Envisioning a world without violence

The Global Plan of Action envisions a world in which women and girls are free from all forms of violence and discrimination, their health and well-being are protected and promoted, their human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully achieved, and gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are the norm.

Health workers have a duty to protect and support survivors of violence, and to help to prevent further violence. As we continue to hear so many #metoo stories, it’s time for #youtoo to do your part.

WHO published new clinical guidelines Responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused aimed at helping front-line health workers, primarily from low resource settings, in providing evidence-based, quality, trauma-informed care to survivors

The guidelines emphasize the importance of promoting safety, offering choices and respecting the wishes and autonomy of children and adolescents. They cover recommendations for post-rape care and mental health; and approaches to minimizing distress in the process of taking medical history, conducting examination and documenting findings.

Sexual abuse of children and adolescents is a gross violation of their rights and a global public health problem. It adversely affects the health of children and adolescents. Health care providers are in a unique position to provide an empathetic response to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused. Such a response can go a long way in helping survivors recover from the trauma of sexual abuse.

Publication details

Number of pages: 73
Publication date: 2017
Languages: English
ISBN: 978-92-4-155014-7

Downloads

• Responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused
  pdf, 905 kB

Click link to download: 

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/259270/1/9789241550147-eng.pdf

Related publications

• Strengthening health systems to respond to women subjected to intimate partner violence or sexual violence: 
  A manual for health managers

World Health Organization recommends farmers stop using antibiotics in healthy animals because over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance

Farmers and the food industry should stop using antibiotics routinely to promote growth and prevent disease in healthy animals, the United Nations health agency said on Tuesday.

“A lack of effective antibiotics is as serious a security threat as a sudden and deadly disease outbreak,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in a news release on the new guideline aimed at helping preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for humans by reducing their unnecessary use in animals.

“Strong, sustained action across all sectors is vital if we are to turn back the tide of antimicrobial resistance and keep the world safe,” he added.

In some countries, some 80 per cent of the total consumption of medically important antibiotics is in the animal sector, largely for growth promotion in healthy animals.

Over-use and misuse of antibiotics in animals and humans is contributing to the rising threat of antibiotic resistance. Some types of bacteria that cause serious infections in humans have already developed resistance to most or all of the available treatments, and there are very few promising options in the research pipeline.

WHO strongly recommends an overall reduction in the use of all classes of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals, including complete restriction of these antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention without diagnosis.

Healthy animals should only receive antibiotics to prevent disease if it has been diagnosed in other animals in the same flock, herd, or fish population, according to the updated WHO guidelines on use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals.

Many countries have already taken action to reduce the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. For example, since 2006, the European Union has banned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion. Consumers are also driving the demand for meat raised without routine use of antibiotics, with some major food chains adopting “antibiotic-free” policies for their meat supplies.

Alternative options to using antibiotics for disease prevention in animals include improving hygiene, better use of vaccination, and changes in animal housing and husbandry practices.

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=58046#.Wga-X9KnFH0

WE THE PEOPLE #ACT4SDGS – UN SDG Action Campaign

WE THE PEOPLE #ACT4SDGS – UN SDG Action Campaign: "WE THE PEOPLE #ACT4SDGS 25 SEPTEMBER 2017 GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION On the occasion of the second anniversary of the SDGs on 25th September 2017 we are calling for actions across the world to tell people about the global goals and tell our leaders how they are performing. The UN SDG Action Campaign, the World We Want and national coalitions of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) are joining forces to invite civil society, volunteers and citizens around the world to send a strong signal to leaders about the importance of the SDGs and what needs to be done two years after the signing of the goals. We are calling for you to join us in the Global Day of Action. Your actions, both big and small can help. Become part of this global movement. Help turn promises into reality.   REGISTER TO JOIN THE GLOBAL DAY AMPLIFY THE CALL TO ACTION: TELL YOUR LEADERS HOW WE ARE DOING: ORGANIZE AN EVENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY: JOIN US AND PUT YOURSELF ON THE MAP FOR THE GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION. WE THE PEOPLE TAKE ACTION FOR THE SDGS 25 SEPTEMBER 2017 Please see more information about the Global Day  and start planning your activities for the 25 September 2017. A partner toolkit will also be sent to registered participants in the coming weeks. You can also learn more about the Global Day of Action – participate in one of the webinars: English Webinar: 30 August, 11:00 (GMT)      | Register Spanish Webinar: 30 August, 14:00 (GMT)     | Register French Webinar: 4 September, 10:00 (GMT)  | Register"



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WHO launches FREE on-line open courses for outbreaks and health emergencies - OpenWHO

WHO launches a new e-learning platform called "OpenWHO",  with video courses on epidemics, pandemics and health emergencies. The courses are free and accessible to anyone wishing to register.



OpenWHO transforms complex scientific knowledge into easy-to-understand introductory video lessons, using a smaller bandwidth so that people in any country can access them. Offline versions are available for IOS and Android devices."



Click https://openwho.org/courses to enroll for free:

Current courses

Communication Essentials for Member States

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The most fundamental skill any good communicator possesses is a clear understanding of the change they want to see in their target audience. This online course on communication essentials in public health for Member States aims to provide you with knowledge and tools you need to communicate effectively during disease outbreaks and health emergencies.

The course will take approximately 5 hours to finish.

Certificate: At the moment, there is no certificate available for this course, but the confirmation of participation will be added soon. You will be able to download it by completing at least 80% of the course material.

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Incident Management System

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To enhance World Health Organisations Emergency Programme (WHE) response capability, WHE proposed the development of a series of training packages to build staff competencies, skills and knowledge, to enhance deployment and response capability.

Tier 1 covers the mandatory minimum package that all personnel being deployed on a WHO health emergency response must complete. It includes four animated online modules covering an introduction to emergency management, WHO’s role in emergencies, the emergency response framework and the incident management system.

The course will take approximately 3 hours to finish.

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Introduction to MERS

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Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), identified recently, is a severe lung infection posing a global threat to human health. It is important to understand the nature of this disease and the ways to prevent, respond to, and control outbreaks of MERS. This course is intended for incident managers and personnel working for the United Nations, international organizations and NGOs.

The course will take approximately 4 hours to finish.

Certificate: At the moment, there is no certificate available for this course, but the confirmation of participation will be added soon. You will be able to download it by completing at least 80% of the course material.

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Pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases

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The past two decades have witnessed changes in how humans live. Travel and trade, rapid urbanization, limited access to health care as well as environmental degradation and other trends all create the conditions for epidemics to thrive and grow. At the same time, the science and knowledge around infectious hazards are constantly evolving, demanding better response to health emergencies.

The course will take approximately 6 hours to finish.

Certificate:At the moment, there is no certificate available for this course, but the confirmation of participation will be added soon. You will be able to download it by completing at least 80% of the course material.

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Risk communication essentials

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Risk communication is a core public health intervention in any disease outbreak and health emergency. It refers to the real-time exchange of information, advice and opinions between experts, officials and people who face a threat to their wellbeing, to enable informed decision-making and to adopt protective behaviors.

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Ebola pre-deployment training "GO"

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All personnel responding to Ebola outbreaks need to have basic knowledge and skills in order to mount an effective response, while reducing the risk of infection to themselves and others. The GO training package was developed for use by WHO's staff, consultants and partners who are part of the emergency response, so that they can work safely as part of the teams working to bring the outbreaks under control.

The course will take approximately 4 hours to finish. At the moment, there is no certificate available for this course, but the confirmation of participation will be added soon. You will be able to download it by completing at least 80% of the course material.

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Knowledge resources for Ebola responders

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Decision-makers and frontline responders will find a set of resources on Ebola virus disease here. These resources can be used as refreshers for experienced personnel or as an introduction to the topic for everyone else. Most of the materials are available in English and French, and can be downloaded for offline use. A version in Lingala is available.

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Ressources de connaissances pour les intervenants d'Ebola

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Les décideurs et les intervenants en première ligne trouveront ici les ressources sur la maladie à virus Ebola. Ces ressources peuvent être utilisées en tant que rappels ou compléments de connaissances pour les travailleurs expérimentés ou en tant qu’introduction au sujet pour les autres. La plupart des ressources sont disponibles en anglais et en français et peuvent être téléchargées pour un usage sans connexion. Une version en Lingala est également disponible.

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Public health interventions in the pandemics and epidemics

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The 21st century has witnessed changes - travel and trade, urbanization, environmental degradation and other trends that increase the risk of disease outbreaks, their spread and amplification into epidemics and pandemics. At the same time, the science and knowledge around infectious hazards are constantly evolving. This introductory level online course will guide you through the new landscape by providing information and tools you need to better manage disease outbreaks and health emergencies.

Materials have been originally designed for WHO African region purposes and have therefore references to Africa more than other continents.

The course will take approximately 3 hours to finish.

Certificate: At the moment, there is no certificate available for this course, but the confirmation of participation will be added soon.

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Future courses

Introduction to Zika virus disease

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Zika virus disease is a mosquito-borne illness that can cause severe birth defects in babies and neurological complications in adults. This course aims to provide you with the knowledge you need to communicate effectively about Zika.

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Pandemic risk communication

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Pandemic risk communication refers to the dynamic process of sharing and responding to information about pandemic influenza. This course aims to build capacity in and disseminate knowledge on the pandemic influenza risk communication globally.

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Introduction to pandemic influenza

 Coming soon English

This online course on pandemic influenza is a source of well-established knowledge and information on activities and interventions related to pandemic flu. The course consists of two modules and aims to prepare countries and individuals to engage in pandemic influenza preparedness and response to mitigate social and economic risks of influenza pandemic.

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