Africa-Press – Tanzania. YESTERDAY, Tanzania joined other countries across the world to mark International Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, which is celebrated each year on December 12.
This global event is meant to raise awareness on a need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
It is the day we can share the stories of the millions of people still waiting for health, celebrate what we have achieved so far in the country or region, call on our leaders to make bigger and smarter investments in health and encourage diverse groups to make commitments to moving the world closer to universal health coverage by 2030.
This year’s theme is: ‘Health for All: Protect Everyone – To end this crisis and build a safer and healthier future, we must invest in systems that protect us all – now’.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), universal health coverage means that all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.
It includes essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs) is Good Health and Well-being.
Two of its targets aim at reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births and at ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming at reducing neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
In Tanzania, the government has made great strides in this regard through improved health services especially in reducing maternal and child mortality rates.
It is also committed to ensuring all citizens have compulsory insurance to make health services easily accessible. If this materialises it will be a milestone not only in the history of the country, but also in the entire history of the African continent.
It suffices to say that Tanzania is on track towards universal health coverage and celebrating UHC Day brings its key message home.
Thus, as we mark International Universal Coverage Day we acknowledge the improvements that have been made in health services both in terms of improved health services and infrastructure.
This has also improved people’s quality of life as according to UN projections, Tanzania’s current life expectancy is 65.46 years, a 0.48 per cent increase from 2019.
Let’s celebrate our roaring success towards universal health coverage and maintain it lest we retrogress.
