Blog entry by Olumuyiwa Olusanya

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by Olumuyiwa Olusanya - Saturday, 2 February 2019, 11:56 PM
Anyone in the world

Universal health coverage is firmly based on the WHO constitution of 1948 declaring health a fundamental human right and on the Health for All agenda set by the Alma‑Ata declaration in 1978. Achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and the next wave of targets looking beyond 2019 will depend largely on how countries succeed in moving towards universal health coverage.

Universal coverage (UC), or universal health coverage (UHC), is defined as ensuring that all people can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship. This definition of UC embodies three related objectives: equity in access to health services - those who need the services should get them, not only those who can pay for them; that the quality of health services is good enough to improve the health of those receiving services; and financial-risk protection - ensuring that the cost of using care does not put people at risk of financial hardship.

Health Insurance remains the best means of achieving universal coverage for all as emphasized by the World Bank and WHO. Out of the eight Millennium Development Goals, three- reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal mortality and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases cover areas that hugely impact on Nigeria’s health indices. Providing equitable access to affordable healthcare for people in different age groups, in different income groups and in the urban and rural areas using sustainable healthcare financing models remains the solution to achieving this great objective.

It is time to adopt policies that will ensure access to universal health coverage for all Nigerians.I am devoting my life and resources to ensuring I see this happen in my lifetime. It’s time to roll up the sleeves.


[ Modified: Monday, 25 February 2019, 1:28 AM ]