COVID-19 makes universal health coverage more urgent than ever: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic has made the need for universal health coverage more urgent than ever.


ANI | New York | Updated: 09-10-2020 07:36 IST | Created: 09-10-2020 07:36 IST
COVID-19 makes universal health coverage more urgent than ever: UN chief
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Image Credit: ANI
  • Country:
  • United States

New York [USA], October 9 (ANI/Xinhua): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic has made the need for universal health coverage more urgent than ever. "A year ago, I warned that half the world's people were not able to access affordable, high-quality health care. Today, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that our health systems are inadequate," he told a ministerial meeting held as one-year commemoration of a UN high-level meeting on universal health coverage.

"Weak health systems and unequal access to health care are major reasons why COVID-19 has killed 1 million people and infected more than 30 million around the world. Under-investment in health is having a devastating impact on societies and economies, undermining progress on all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." COVID-19 has made the need for universal health coverage, outlined in the strong Political Declaration adopted at last year's high-level meeting, more urgent than ever, he said in a video message.

Universal health coverage is not only essential to end the pandemic. It will also drive progress across all health-related SDGs, while strengthening the primary health systems that are fundamental to tackling non-communicable diseases. And it is the only way to prepare for future health crises, he said. (ANI/Xinhua)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Give Feedback