Home Articles List Article Information
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Journal Archive
Volume Volume 8 (2019)
Volume Volume 7 (2018)
Volume Volume 6 (2017)
Volume Volume 5 (2016)
Volume Volume 4 (2015)
Volume Volume 3 (2014)
Volume Volume 2 (2014)
Volume Volume 1 (2013)
Matheson, D. (2015). Will Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead to the Freedom to Lead Flourishing and Healthy Lives?; Comment on “Inequities in the Freedom to Lead a Flourishing and Healthy Life: Issues for Healthy Public Policy”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 4(1), 49-51. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.09
Don Matheson. "Will Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead to the Freedom to Lead Flourishing and Healthy Lives?; Comment on “Inequities in the Freedom to Lead a Flourishing and Healthy Life: Issues for Healthy Public Policy”". International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 4, 1, 2015, 49-51. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.09
Matheson, D. (2015). 'Will Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead to the Freedom to Lead Flourishing and Healthy Lives?; Comment on “Inequities in the Freedom to Lead a Flourishing and Healthy Life: Issues for Healthy Public Policy”', International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 4(1), pp. 49-51. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.09
Matheson, D. Will Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead to the Freedom to Lead Flourishing and Healthy Lives?; Comment on “Inequities in the Freedom to Lead a Flourishing and Healthy Life: Issues for Healthy Public Policy”. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 2015; 4(1): 49-51. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.09

Will Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Lead to the Freedom to Lead Flourishing and Healthy Lives?; Comment on “Inequities in the Freedom to Lead a Flourishing and Healthy Life: Issues for Healthy Public Policy”

Article 9, Volume 4, Issue 1, January 2015, Page 49-51  XML PDF (333 K)
Document Type: Commentary
DOI: 10.15171/ijhpm.2015.09
Author
Don Matheson
Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract
The focus on public policy and health equity is discussed in reference to the current global health policy discussion on Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This initiative has strong commitment from the leadership of the international organizations involved, but a lack of policy clarity outside of the health financing component may limit the initiative’s impact on health inequity. In order to address health inequities there needs to be greater focus on the most vulnerable communities, subnational health systems, and attention paid to how communities, civil society and the private sector engage and participate in health systems.
Keywords
Health Equity; Universal Health Coverage (UHC); Complexity; Participatory Action Research; Healthy Public Policy
Main Subjects
Health Policy
Full Text

"Watch the Video Summary"

References
1. Friel S. Inequities in the freedom to lead a flourishing and healthy life: issues for healthy public policy. Int J Health Policy Manag 2014; 3: 161-3. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2014.82

2. Open Working Group proposal for Sustainable Development Goals [internet]. Available from: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/focussdgs.html

3. World Health Organization (WHO). What is Universal Health Coverage [internet]. 2014. Available from: http://www.who.int/features/qa/universal_health_coverage/en/

4. World health report: Achieving health for all [internet]. Available from: http://www.who.int/whr/1998/media_centre/executive_summary6/en/

5. Mahler H. The Meaning of “Health for All by the Year 2000”. World Health Forum 1981; 3: 5-22.

6. Walsh JA, Warren KS. Selective primary health care: An interim strategy for disease control in developing countries. Social Science & Medicine. Part C: Medical Economics 1981; 14: 145-63. doi: 10.1016/0160-7995(80)90034-9

7. Newell KW. Selective primary health care: the counter revolution. Soc Sci Med 1988; 26:  903-6.

8. Brown TM, Cueto M, Fee E. The World Health Organization and the Transition from “International” to “Global” Public Health. Am J Public Health 2006; 96:  62-72. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.050831

9. World Health Organization (WHO). Financing of the World Health Organization. 2011. Available from: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EBSS/EBSS2_ID2-en.pdf

10. Chan M. Dr Margaret Chan Director-General elect: Speech to the First special session of the World Health Assembly Geneva. 2006. Available from: http://apps.who.int/gb/archive/pdf_files/WHASSA1/ssa1_div6-en.pdf

11. Gauld R, Blank R, Burgers J, Cohen AB, Dobrow M, Ikegami N, et al. The World Health Report 2008 – Primary Healthcare: How Wide Is the Gap between Its Agenda and Implementation in 12 High-Income Health Systems? Healthcare Policy 2012; 7: 38-58. doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2013.22778         

12. Vestergaard J, Wade RH. Protecting Power: How Western States Retain The Dominant Voice in The World Bank’s Governance. World Dev 2013; 46: 153-64.

13. World Health Organization (WHO). Universal Health Coverage [internet]. Available from: http://www.who.int/universal_health_coverage/en/

14. Kim JY. Speech by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on Universal Health Coverage in Emerging Economies [internet]. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/speech/2014/01/14/speech-world-bank-group-president-jim-yong-kim-health-emerging-economies

15. Cingano F. Trends in Income Inequality and its Impact on Economic Growth (No. 163). OECD; 2014.  doi: 10.1787/5jxrjncwxv6j-en

16. Kim JY. Speech by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim at Council on Foreign Relations: “Count on Us.” [internet]. 2014. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/speech/2014/04/01/speech-world-bank-group-president-jim-yong-kim-council-on-foreign-relations

17. Giedion U, Alfonso EA, Diaz Y. The impact of universal coverage schemes in the developing world: a review of the existing evidence. The World Bank; 2013.

18. O’Connell T, Rasanathan K, Chopra M. What does universal health coverage mean? Lancet 2014; 383: 277-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60955-1

19. World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank Group (WBG). Monitoring Progress towards Universal Health Coverage at Country and Global Levels : Framework, measures and targets. 2014. Available from: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/112824/1/WHO_HIS_HIA_14.1_eng.pdf

20. Rodney AM,  Hill PS. Achieving equity within universal health coverage: a narrative review of progress and resources for measuring success. Int J Equity Health 2014; 13: 72. doi: 10.1186/s12939-014-0072-8

21. Moser KA, Leon DA, Gwatkin DR. How does progress towards the child mortality millennium development goal affect inequalities between the poorest and least poor? Analysis of Demographic and Health Survey data. BMJ  2005; 331: 1180-2. doi: 10.1136/bmj.38659.588125.79

22. Gwatkin DR,  Ergo A. Universal health coverage: friend or foe of health equity? Lancet 2011; 377: 2160-1. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62058-2

23. Brixi H, Mu Y, Targa B,  Hipgrave D. Engaging sub-national governments in addressing health equities: challenges and opportunities in China’s health system reform. Health Policy Plan 2013; 28: 809-24. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czs120

24. Meessen B,  Malanda B. No universal health coverage without strong local health systems. Bull World Health Organ 2014; 92: 78-A. doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.135228

25. Fehling M, Nelson BD, Venkatapuram S. Limitations of the Millennium Development Goals: a literature review. Global Public Health 2013; 8: 1109-22. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2013.845676

Statistics
Article View: 11,695
PDF Download: 4,490