18 September 2017: The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners discussed universal health coverage (UHC), including pandemic preparedness, during a high-level side event on UHC that took place on the margins of the 2017 session of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) annual General Debate. A WHO report released the same day shows that countries are not yet on track to achieve the target of reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Investments in UHC would prevent 97 million premature deaths between now and the year 2030, and would increase life expectancy by up to 8.4 additional years in some countries.

Speaking during the side event, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that UHC is achievable by all countries, and that 85% of the costs of meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) health targets can be met using domestic resources. According to WHO, investments in UHC would prevent 97 million premature deaths between now and the year 2030, and would increase life expectancy by up to 8.4 additional years in some countries. Tedros stressed that health is a human right, not a privilege, and urged countries to step up their efforts.

At the side event, Achim Steiner, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, highlighted UNDP’s partnerships for achieving UHC. He also noted current efforts by the Government of Japan, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the biomedical industry in developing new medicines, diagnostic treatments, and vaccines for TB, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

On the same day, WHO released its ‘Non-communicable Disease Progress Monitor’ report, which shows that countries have not made sufficient progress toward controlling non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The SDGs include a target to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030. The WHO report shows that the world is not on track to achieve this target; more than three-quarters of deaths from NCDs are in low and middle-income countries.

The Progress Monitor presents data on 19 indicators from all of WHO’s 194 member States, including on developing comprehensive policies to address NCDs; setting time-bound targets to reduce NCD deaths and strengthening health systems through UHC and primary health care. The findings from the 2017 edition will contribute to a WHO study that will be released ahead of the third UN High-level Meeting on NCDs.

The Government of Japan will host the UHC Forum in Tokyo from 13-14 December 2017, in cooperation with the World Bank, WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the UHC2030 partnership. Attendance at the forum is by invitation only. Guests will include heads of State and ministers of health, finance and other senior officials, as well as development agency heads, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions. [WHO Director-General’s Address] [UNDP Administrator’s Address] [WHO Press Release] [Publication: Non-communicable Disease Progress Monitor] [UHC Forum Flyer] [UHC2030 Website]