Distinguished guests,
Participants from Member States,
Temporary advisers, colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen:
Good morning and welcome to this consultation on Universal Health Coverage.
Universal health coverage (UHC) is a widely shared global vision - that all people should have access to needed health services, at both individual and population levels, with sufficient quality to be effective without payment causing financial hardship.
The health system protects and restores population health through the long journey towards UHC.
Prevention is as core to UHC as are treatment services.
UHC is built on the value and inspiration of health for all, but requires clear objectives for health system development. It is also a major part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
UHC is not new for this Region. For example, the Mekong countries are upgrading primary facilities and improving the availability and skill mix of the health workforce in remote areas to improve quality and service accessibility.
China has been carrying out comprehensive health reform to improve efficiency and to make service more affordable and accessible.
Pacific island countries are taking steps to combat the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases.
The Philippines has been strengthening service delivery and community capacity to make the health system resilient to natural disasters.
Member States of the Western Pacific Region have made significant progress over the past decade on strengthening government leadership, improving equity in access to quality health services and financial risk protection, and using resources more efficiently.
The Region is undergoing rapid economic development, accompanied by increasing demands to improve access to quality health services and financial protection.
Member States also face changing epidemiological and demographic profiles, urbanization and migration, climate change, emerging diseases, increased population mobility and inequities within countries.
How well are health systems responding to these challenges? Will current financing be sustainable?
Member States at all levels of development strive to sustain progress made and to cope with new demands for better health. We need to do better. We need to progress faster.
Experiences from across the Region in adopting and implementing regional health system strategies reveal that a whole-of-system approach is critical for health system development to achieve UHC.
Member States also recognize that quality, efficiency, equity, accountability and good governance, sustainability and resilience are essential attributes of good health systems and, therefore, crucial for achieving equitable and sustainable health outcomes.
Drawing experiences from our Region and beyond, WHO has developed the document: UHC- Moving towards Better Health, to be submitted for endorsement to the Regional Committee this October.
The document synthesizes 15 core action domains under the five widely recognized essential health system attributes.
This document compiles a set of actions that address challenges in this Region.
These actions are consistent with the values of health for all and the principles and strategies for health system development.
The document is meant to help governments to improve health system quality, efficiency, equity, accountability and resilience.
The action domains and priority actions under each domain serve as a menu for countries to select what best suits their priorities and needs as they develop their own pathways for UHC.
Member States are encouraged to select, prioritize and adapt multiple actions. Many of these actions are already being done by Member States. They can be further embedded in national health policies and strategies and in their ongoing health reforms.
The document also highlights the importance of monitoring and evaluation. What gets measured gets done. Monitoring and evaluation is also important as a mechanism for accountability and transparency of the system.
While choosing actions, each country's specific situation must be considered.
While international and regional experiences provide guidance and inspiration, remedies to be implemented and sustained must be home grown.
Still, countries can learn much from each other, and creating learning organizations and a culture of continuous quality improvement is also an important goal.
Moving faster towards UHC will require political commitment, advocacy and strengthened partnerships.
You will have extensive discussions during this meeting. We appreciate your constructive input to help guide future action in the Region.
As always, WHO stands ready to collaborate with our Member States and partners to steer policy changes and actions to accelerate progress towards UHC.
Thank you.