Bringing universal health coverage to those who need it most

Living in Australia, we take for granted everything we have. At no time in history have people had the same amount of access to quality, effective health and dental care. Basically, no matter what goes wrong, you can find a health professional who can help. But even in these modern times, not everyone is as lucky. World Health Day is aiming to change that.

What is World Health Day?

World Health Day has been held on the 7th of April every year since 1950 and every year it aims to increase awareness of a specific area of concern for the World Health Organization. In the past, this focus has been on issues such as child care, climate change and mental health. And this year, the focus is on universal health care.

Millions of people don’t have access at all to health care while others don’t have the money to access these resources without making sacrifices in other essential areas. The aim of the World Health Organization this year is to focus the world’s attention on this lack. Their goal is to ensure that everyone can access health care in their community when they need it the most.

What is Universal Health Coverage?

Every individual and community have the right to access quality health services when they need it without experiencing financial hardship. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and that’s what this year’s World Health Day celebration intends to highlight. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is about ensuring that everyone has access to the full spectrum of health professionals and services, from health prevention to specific treatments to rehabilitation.

There are obviously a lot of facets to this, but at its centre it’s about helping people maintain or improve their health over the long term rather than just treating disease. Here are some of the primary health care needs that should be covered under the UHC:

Screening for health problems.
Vaccines.
Family planning.
Treatment for illnesses and disease.
Rehabilitation.
Mental health services.
Dentistry.

This kind of preventative and ongoing care is a cost-effective way of delivering health services. It helps people avoid serious health problems by focusing on prevention and improves outcomes in the case of illness.

The Takeaway

There’s a lot you can do to support the efforts of the World Health Organization. One of the most important things you can do is to work to take better care of your health and the health of your family. This will make your family healthier over the long term, which is good for society as a whole. So, make an appointment with your dentist for a check-up and make sure the rest of your family goes too. And while you’re there, talk to them about your oral health. Get as much information and support as you can to improve the health of the people you love. This is a fantastic first step on the journey to better global health.

If you want to help even more, get involved with the campaign. In a democracy, the will of the people can move mountains and that’s what’s needed here. Quality health care is the right of all people, including you and your family, so use your vote to make sure that your local leaders and politicians know it too.