PHM-Exch> The seven sins and the seven virtues of Universal Health Coverage

[Thomas Schwarz MMI]

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New paper by members of the Italian Global Health Watch:
The seven sins and the seven virtues of Universal Health Coverage
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Universal Health Coverage is likely to become the backbone on which the
health development agenda beyond 2015 will be constructed. To avoid
unintended effects, Universal Health Coverage should keep away from
committing seven sins and should try to practice seven virtues.

 

Backed by most actors in the global health scene, Universal Health Coverage
(UHC) is likely to become the mantra that will drive health transformations
for years to come and the backbone on which the health development agenda
beyond 2015 will be constructed. There is now widespread agreement on the
need to extend access to health care to all individuals and populations, as
illustrated by UN statements, WHO reports, and a number of articles in
medical journals, including a Lancet series. The call for UHC comes at a
time when, after decades of neoliberal policies, privatization of health
care services has reached a peak leading in many countries to further
exclusion and/or catastrophic expenditures. To help reverse this trend,
however, and to avoid unintended effects, UHC should keep away from
committing seven sins and try to practice seven virtues. 

 

1. Sloth (failure to do things that one should do and to make the most of
one's talents and gifts) 
vs. Diligence (upholding one's convictions at all times, especially when no
one else is watching)

 

To many people, UHC may sound like Health for All. However, what is
currently proposed differs substantially from what was proposed in Alma Ata.
Primary health care intended to transform health systems, as opposed to
health care systems, within a broader social transformation. The signatories
of the Declaration were aware of the importance of the social determinants
of health well before the report of the WHO Commission. Primary health care
included education, nutrition, water and sanitation, in addition to
essential health care. Unless UHC is served with an extensive dressing of
primary health care and social determinants of health, i.e. unless it is
implemented within a framework of social and economic transformation, it
will not transform health as profoundly as hoped. Paradoxically, an
excessive focus on UHC could divert attention and resources from other
sectors with a bearing on health. (...)

 

Read the full paper at:
http://getinvolvedinglobalhealth.blogspot.ch/2013/06/the-seven-sins-and-seve
n-virtues-of.html 

 

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Authors: Adriano Cattaneo, Giorgio Tamburlini, Angelo Stefanini, Eduardo
Missoni, Gavino Maciocco, Gianni Tognoni, Carlo Resti, Claudio Beltramello,
Chiara Bodini, and Nicoletta Dentico, Italian Global Health Watch. Published
in: Get involved in global health! Statements and debates on global health
policy, 26 June 2013

 

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