{"id":16475,"date":"2024-01-25T09:56:48","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T08:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/?post_type=news&p=16475"},"modified":"2024-01-25T10:01:27","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T09:01:27","slug":"exploring-strategies-for-achieving-universal-health-coverage-at-eb154","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/exploring-strategies-for-achieving-universal-health-coverage-at-eb154\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring strategies for achieving Universal Health Coverage at EB154"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a statement made at the WHO Executive Board Meeting<\/em>\u00a0(EB154) on Agenda Item 6 by the World Heart Federation on behalf of the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control, International Diabetes Federation, International Society of Nephrology, World Hypertension League, and World Stroke Organization.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While we welcome the WHO and Member States\u2019 recommitment to achieving UHC in the 2023 political declaration, we take this opportunity to highlight the need to prioritize essential circulatory health services in UHC benefit packages to protect individuals and households from catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses, which slow socioeconomic development and contribute to rising poverty rates.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To reach<\/span> UHC, countries must determine which essential health services should be provided through cost-effective health benefit packages<\/span>, considering disease burden, financial risk protection, socioeconomic impact, and equity.<\/span> Circulatory diseases, as the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and the leading cause of catastrophic health expenditure in LMICs, <\/span>meet all these criteria. <\/span>NCDs are preventable and treatable and must therefore be prioritized in UHC packages;<\/span> nevertheless<\/span>, coverage of NCD services in UHC packages is seriously <\/span>lacking relative to other areas<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drawing on the<\/span> HEARTS Technical Package, Pen+ Interventions, and updated Appendix 3 document,<\/span> we<\/span> recommend prioritiz<\/span>ing<\/span> the following interventions in UHC benefit packages:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n