Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage in the Americas: Addressing the challenge of NCDs

Universal access to health and universal health coverage imply that all people and communities have access, without any kind of discrimination, to comprehensive, appropriate and timely, quality health services determined at the national level according to needs, as well as access to safe, effective, and affordable quality medicines, while ensuring that the use of such services does not expose users to financial difficulties, especially groups in conditions of vulnerability. Universal access to health and universal health coverage require determining and implementing policies and actions with a multisectoral approach to address the social determinants of health and promote a society-wide commitment to fostering health and well-being.

In October 2013, Member States of the Pan American Health Organization adopted a Regional Strategy for Universal Access to Health and Universal health Coverage.

The strategy explains the conditions that will enable countries to focus and evaluate their policies and measure their progress toward universal access to health and universal health coverage It establishes four simultaneous, interdependent strategic lines: (a) expanding equitable access to comprehensive, quality, people- and community-centered health services; (b) strengthening stewardship and governance; (c) increasing and improving financing with equity and efficiency, and advancing toward the elimination of direct payments that constitute a barrier to access at the point of service; and (d) strengthening multisectoral coordination to address the social determinants of health that ensure the sustainability of universal coverage.

Implementation of this strategy within countries will effectively address the challenges and support the changes required in the health systems to provide a comprehensive response to NCDs including disease prevention and health promotion.