MANILA – In a world threatened by multiple crises, from disease to disasters, conflict and climate change, the right to health for all is more important than ever. On World Health Day, celebrated every year on April 7, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on governments to accelerate action to realize the right to health for all.
“Health is not a luxury for a few; it is a fundamental right for all,” said Dr. Saia Mau Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
“Health is an investment in every country's present and future. The right to health will only be realized if we fulfill the promise of health for all countries signed up through the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The theme of World Health Day 2024 is 'My Health, My Rights', which aims to ensure that all people have access to quality health services when and where they need it, and to address other challenges. We emphasize the need for countries to accelerate action towards universal health coverage, so that countries can also address universal health coverage. Major health threat.
Access denied
Despite significant progress over the past two decades, an estimated 782 million people out of the region's total population of 1.9 billion, or more than two in five people, still lack access to at least one essential medical treatment such as immunization. Service is not fully available. Pregnancy and newborn care, treatment of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension.
Even for those who have access to care, high co-pays often create financial hardship. One in five people in the region face catastrophic medical costs, meaning they pay exorbitant amounts (defined as 10% of their income) for services. Medical bills often force people to choose between seeking care and paying for food and housing for their families.
Today, the region's vulnerable populations (including poorer, less educated populations, and those living in rural and peri-urban areas) continue to face the greatest challenges in accessing and paying for health care, and the highest rates of They face a burden of disease and the worst health outcomes.
More than medical services
The right to health has been central to WHO's mission since its founding in 1948. In that year, the right to health was enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognized the “right to an adequate standard of living.” The health and well-being of individuals and their families is an “equal and inalienable'' right for all.
The right to health is not just about health services. We also need other basic conditions for a healthy life, such as safe water, clean air, nutritious food, adequate housing, quality education, decent working conditions, and freedom from discrimination. is.
In 1950, only 40% of people in the region lived to age 60. One hundred years after the right to health was established, that number is expected to more than double and reach 94% by 2048.
But unless more action is taken to support people's right to health, such as reforming primary health care towards universal coverage, living longer will not necessarily mean living healthier. Not that I will.
The growing NCD crisis
Continued limited access to affordable and nutritious food and increasing environmental pollution across the region are leading to an increase in NCDs such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. .
By 2048, an estimated 21 million people will die from NCDs each year in the Western Pacific, accounting for nine out of 10 deaths in the region. Medical services to prevent and treat these diseases are not keeping up with demand.
Nearly 300 million people in the region cannot afford to eat healthy food. The availability of cheap, highly processed foods and beverages that are high in fat, sugar, and salt, and the reduced availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, have made it difficult for people to access nutritious diets. It is a major cause of malnutrition.
Almost one in four children over the age of five and nearly two in five adults in the Western Pacific are currently overweight or obese. And this number continues to grow.
Nine out of the ten countries in the world with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity are located in the Pacific Ocean. Diet-related NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are the leading causes of disability and premature death in the region.
Climate impact
People also have the right to breathe clean air, drink safe water and access sanitation services. However, 99% of people living in the Western Pacific breathe air that exceeds WHO pollution standards. Every 14 seconds someone dies in this region from air pollution caused primarily by the burning of the same fossil fuels that cause climate change.
Nearly 90 million people in the region do not have access to basic drinking water facilities, and more than 400 million people lack access to sanitation services (toilets) to safely manage human waste. Diarrhea caused by unsafe water and sanitation causes malnutrition, especially among poor people, and contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
“Through primary health care, as affirmed in the 2018 Astana Declaration, countries can not only provide affordable and quality healthcare, but also build healthy societies and protect the health and well-being of their people now and in the future. You have to create an environment,” says Dr. Piukala. .
big picture
To realize the right to health for all, WHO, Member States and partners are working together to transform health systems and achieve equitable access to affordable and quality health services. Strong primary health care, including adequate human resources and financial protection, will enable countries to meet the promise of universal health coverage.
This year, the Western Pacific Regional Commission will consider an Endorsed Action Framework on Digital Health and Health Financing for Social Welfare and Sustainable Development.
WHO calls on countries to engage individuals and communities in health decision-making to ensure that health services are tailored to changing needs across the life course. To reach the hard-to-reach and protect the right to health, countries can leverage innovative solutions, including digital health approaches, and collaborate with stakeholders across the health sector to improve food systems, We need to reduce air pollution, combat climate change and create a health-promoting environment. Among other actions.
