Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day
December 12 marks Universal Health Coverage Day, highlighting the theme "Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!", focusing on the financial burdens of healthcare.
Universal Health Coverage vs. Universal Healthcare
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Focuses on coverage for illness, emphasizing financial reforms and risk protection.
- Universal Healthcare: Encompasses comprehensive access to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
Historical Perspective and Current Trends
Rooted in the universal human right to health, UHC has been articulated in international covenants and WHO declarations, like the Alma-Ata Declaration, 1978. While WHO’s 2010 report emphasized financial reforms, many countries, including India, have prioritized financial protection through public health insurance schemes.
- Insurance schemes often cover hospitalization costs but may lead to out-of-pocket expenses due to exclusions or provider abuse.
- Countries like China and South Korea have moved towards strengthening primary and secondary care, focusing on prevention and early detection.
Challenges in India
India's commitment to universal healthcare dates back to the Bhore Committee but has faced chronic underfunding, leading to reliance on the private sector. Initiatives like the National Rural Health Mission and health insurance schemes like Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana and Ayushman Bharat aim to address these challenges. Despite efforts, issues of inequity and inadequate access persist.
Conclusion
The Covid pandemic highlighted the need for a shift from UHC to universal healthcare. For India, this necessitates increased public investment in comprehensive primary healthcare and addressing social determinants of health.
