Global Health Impact: Prescription for Universal Health Coverage: Why UHC Must Include Access to Medicines
Global Health Impact: Prescription for Universal Health Coverage: Why UHC Must Include Access to Medicines
Photo credit: Warren ZelmanReforming a health system in pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC) has the potential to transform health and save lives, but it carries enormous challenges for the leaders committed to this vision. From revenue collection to enforcement of quality standards, every aspect of the system must come together to make UHC successful and sustainable.
With over 100 countries working their way toward UHC--and UHC a prime consideration in post-2015 sustainable development conversations--MSH is devoting this issue of the Global Health Impact newsletter (subscribe) to one of the essential elements of successful UHC: access to medicines.
A NOTE FROM DR. JONATHAN QUICK
Post-2015: Sustainable Health Development Requires UHC: Dr. Quick on Devex
"If U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wants sustainability, equity, and real transformation in global health, he should recommend UHC as a post-2015 health target," says Dr. Quick in an exclusive op-ed for Devex. Read more
HIGHLIGHTS
Achieving Successful UHC Depends on Medicines Management
"In principle, UHC means lifesaving drugs will be accessible and affordable for those who need them. But in practice, medicines coverage in country UHC plans and in private insurance schemes is often under-rated in terms of cost or importance and is sometimes not recognized at all," blogs MSH vice president Douglas Keene. Read more
A Dialogue on Medicines as Part of Universal Health Coverage: Top Ten Takeaways
Doctors Anita Katharina Wagner and Dennis Ross-Degnan of Harvard Medical School share their top ten lessons from the UHC and access to medicines conference. Read more
UHC and Access to Medicines: From Dialogue to Defining Action
Photo credit: MSH/Paula Champagne
At the June UHC and medicines "starting a dialogue" sessions, representatives from countries working toward UHC and private insurance schemes, and medicines and financing experts from across the globe, defined six domains of action to assure that medicines are adequately covered in sustainable UHC initiatives. Read more
Smart Governance for Medicines under Universal Health Coverage
Photo credit: MSH/Paula Champagne
UHC carries unique governance challenges and can exacerbate existing challenges surrounding healthcare financing and service delivery. To overcome these challenges, leaders and managers will benefit greatly from sharing lessons from other health systems that are pursuing UHC or have achieved it already. Read more
FEATURED PROJECT
"Health for All" Continues Supporting UHC Campaigns in African Countries
Photo credit: Beth Brundage Murphy for MSH
Health for All: The Campaign for Universal Health Coverage in Africa, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, is supporting governments in three African countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Kenya) in their efforts to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). Read more
PROFILE
VIDEO: Perspectives on Medicines as Part of UHC
Participants from the June dialogue share their views on UHC and medicines. Watch video
MORE NEWS
- Community-based Health Insurance Extending Access to Chronic Diseases Care in Rwanda
- Better Storage and Inventory Practices Improving Access to Quality Medicines in Kenya
- Powering Quality Hospital Care with Solar Energy
- From Capitol Hill to Cambridge: Highlighting Community Health Workers and Maternal and Child Health in Fragile States
- Building Capacity: Racking Warehouses Improve Medicinal Supply and Access in Ethiopia
RESOURCES
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