12 December: International Universal Health Coverage Day

Every year 12 December is celebrated as International Universal Health Coverage Day across the world, as an annual rallying point for the growing movement for health for all. The day is promoted by World Health Organization (WHO).

About Universal Health Coverage Day

Objective: To raise awareness of need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.

Why this day? The day marks the anniversary of United Nations’ historic and unanimous endorsement of universal health coverage (UHC) and providing affordable, quality health care in 2012. Later, on 12 December 2017, UN proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) by resolution 72/138.

Theme for UHC Day 2019 campaign: ‘Keep the promise.’ The theme has been chosen following the UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage on 23 September 2019, where world leaders endorsed the most comprehensive and ambitious political declaration on health in history. This year’s theme seeks to keep leaders, our health systems and ourselves accountable to promise of health for all.

Each year on 12 December, universal health coverage (UHC) advocates raise their voices to share stories of millions of people still waiting for health, champion what world have achieved so far, call on leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health, as well as encourage diverse groups to make commitments to help move world closer to UHC by 2030.

NOTE: Universal health coverage (UHC) has been included in United Nations’ new Sustainable Development Goals for year 2015-2030.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2019