Abstract :
[en] Executive Summary
The UHC-Partnership (UHC-P) Annual Report 2021 captures a return to a broader focus to achieving universal health coverage (UHC), at a time when the world is learning how to manage the continuing health threat posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while also moving forward with putting policies and interventions in place to achieve UHC. This broader focus on UHC built on lessons learned and awareness of the health systems gaps exposed by the pandemic. For example, in 2021, there were concerted
and high-level efforts to develop a collaborative agenda for health systems strengthening based on integrated primary health care (PHC) for UHC and health security.
This will ensure that the investments made throughout the COVID-19 response will have a lasting impact towards the creation of resilient health systems, and in building and
maintaining country preparedness and health systems that protect everyone, everywhere from the pandemic and future threats to health.
In this year’s report, strengthening PHC to ensure strong health systems foundations and to maintain essential health services was an important focus for the first billion. This included highlighting the progress made in developing essential health services and benefit packages and strengthened essential public health functions in countries, advances in health financing approaches, and the importance of tracking and
training human resources for health.
As recent years have shown, the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related hazards – combined with the added challenge of vector-borne diseases (Ebola,
Zika, dengue, Chikungunya, COVID-19) – impose heavy human and economic tolls, and burden health-care systems. This report demonstrates how the UHC-P has
supported achieving UHC for the second billion, and its dedication to working with countries to prepare for health emergencies and to take actions to ensure that those
affected by health emergencies – especially the most disadvantaged – have access to essential life-saving health services and public health interventions.
Beyond fighting diseases, the UHC-P works to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, leaving no one behind. Because many of the factors
that threaten health and well-being today lie beyond an individual’s control, the UHC-P is committed to supporting Member States to address determinants of health, to promote multisectoral actions to address the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), to reduce risk factors, and to prioritize health in all policies and healthy settings, to achieve UHC for the third billion.
As the past two years have shown, good governance and leadership of a health system requires reliable, timely information, such as whether people are getting the services they need and where resources are going. Information is used in a wide range of situations, such as in developing national strategies and plans, monitoring progress against priorities, and responding to public health emergencies. The UHC-P ensured collaboration with countries to improve their health information systems, analytical capacity and reporting for UHC, including developing comprehensive and efficient systems to
monitor health risks and determinants, track health status and outcomes, and assess health system performance. This systematic monitoring of implementation and results ensures clear accountabilities.
The year 2021 was an important year as we began to see a shift from activities that were mainly direct responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, to a return to ongoing and
scheduled activities that support countries’ plans for achieving UHC.
The UHC-P’s support for the continuous presence of more than 120 experts in the field allows for close monitoring of policy dialogues, strengthens the trust relationships with national authorities, and works towards overcoming the gaps related to the lack of
inclusion of populations, communities and civil society organizations that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed. By combining policy dialogue and technical assistance, the UHC-P has provided tailored and bottom-up support for each country’s road map towards achieving UHC.
