*Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)
Chairperson, the Honourable Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare
Excellencies and distinguished delegates
Thank you very much for this opportunity. The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros, is unable to be here in person, and asked me to deliver these remarks on his behalf.
First, on behalf of WHO, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the people of Japan, especially to those who lost loved ones and homes in last week’s devastating typhoon.
Universal Health Coverage is both a powerful concept in itself, as well as a tool for achieving the SDGs. The same principles are at the heart of both UHC and the SDGs: addressing inequities and leaving no-one behind.
But we have much to do to turn the promise of UHC into reality.
According to the most recent Global UHC Monitoring Report published just before the UN high level meeting last month, more than half the world’s population still lacks access to essential services.
While service coverage has improved – particularly in lower income countries, and for infectious diseases – coverage needs to double to achieve the SDG UHC target by 2030.
The figures on financial protection – the number of people who face catastrophic health costs every year – are going in the wrong direction. The share of the population impoverished by out-of-pocket expenditure is also increasing. We must reverse these trends.
Right now, we have an unprecedented window of opportunity for advancing UHC.The political declaration endorsed at the recent UN General Assembly is the most comprehensive international health commitment in history.
We must ensure that this commitment is translated into action which really changes lives. There are three key areas where we believe action is most needed.
First, strengthening primary care is fundamental. This will be critically important for achieving UHC – especially as populations are rapidly ageing, as we will discuss in the next session.
With people living longer and NCDs on the rise, we need to reorient health systems from a single-disease or single-episode focus, to services which “accompany” people throughout their lives – and focus more on prevention.
Primary care is also the best means for delivering essential health services such as immunization. A qualified, skilled and motivated health workforce is crucial.
Second, innovation and technology. Digital technology creates formidable opportunities for building a healthier world – but it can be potentially disruptive. While we must seize the opportunities technology presents, we must also prepare for new challenges including for regulation.
Third, every country needs to find a way to sustainably finance UHC. This is both in terms of domestic financing, and a coordinated and harmonized approach among donors and development partners. Ministries of finance are starting to see health differently: as the G20 Health and Finance Ministers recognised earlier this year, UHC is an investment, not a cost.
Of course, every country needs to find its own path. I have seen first-hand in our Region the diversity of countries’ economic, social and demographic contexts – there is no one size fits all approach.
Together with other UN and partners, WHO is committed to supporting every country on its journey towards UHC.
Thank you very much.