Webinar: 11 December - Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2024

"The UHC Compass and Social Participation:

empowering patient organisations to hold governments

 accountable for universal health coverage"

Register for the UHC Compass launch!

To mark Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2024, IAPO will officially launch the UHC Compass at an exciting webinar titled "The UHC Compass and Social Participation: empowering patient organisations to hold governments accountable for universal health coverage" on 11 December 2024, from 11:30 to 13:00 GMT via Zoom.

The webinar will be conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish.

Panellists include:

• Dani Mothci – International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) 
• Dr Pamela Cipriano – UHC2030 & International Council of Nurses
• Lara Brearley – Special Programme on Primary Health Care Universal Health Coverage - Life Course, World Health Organization
• Dumiso Gatsha – Success Capital NGO & Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM)
• Nicola Bedlington – Global Patient Think Tank & Millwater Partners
• Smitha Sadasivan – Global Patient Think Tank, Inclusive Health Policy, Disability Rights India Foundation & CSEM 
• Paul Mendoza – Psoriasis Philippines and Psoriasis Asia Pacific & IAPO

The UHC Compass is a dynamic tool created by patients for patients, empowering local leaders and communities to advance universal health coverage (UHC). In the context of the World Health Assembly resolution on social participation and UHC Day 2024, this session will explore how the Compass can serve as a tool to hold governments accountable for investing in UHC.

Co-created by the Global Patient Think Tank (GPTT), a diverse group amplifying the patient voice in the UHC movement, the Compass is proudly hosted by IAPO. Our mission is to ensure this resource reaches and benefits our global network of patient organisations.

Join us to discover how the UHC Compass can help make UHC a reality for everyone!

Learn more & register [https://www.iapo.org.uk/node/15686] Share https://iapo.cmail19.com/t/d-fb-sfiudt-iuqjytrli-o/ Tweet https://iapo.cmail19.com/t/d-tw-sfiudt-iuqjytrli-b/ Share [https://iapo.cmail19.com/t/d-li-sfiudt-iuqjytrli-h/]

[http://www.iapo.org.uk]

The International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations is registered in England and Wales as charity no.1155577 and company limited by guarantee no.08495711.

Registered office: Hounslow House, 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB, UK.

It is also the IAPO's 25th Anniversary.
More details at:

https://www.iapo.org.uk/node/15687

I will post again in the New Year.

My source: HIFA

Previously: compass : UHC : patients

Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly

WHO Note for Media, 26 May 2023

Read online:

https://www.who.int/news/item/26-05-2023-seventy-sixth-world-health-assembly---daily-update--26-may-2023

Text of note follows and a Comment from me below.

Gearing up for a historic UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage

Member States expressed alarm that millions of people cannot access life-saving and health-enhancing interventions. Out-of-pocket spending on health catastrophically affects over 1 billion people, pushing hundreds of millions of people into extreme poverty. The situation has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response, Member States agreed a resolution supporting preparations for the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in September 2023. UHC means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need without financial hardship.

c/o World Health Assembly - media

In a transformative policy shift, Member States across high-, middle- and low-income countries expressed strong commitment to reorient their health systems based on primary health care (PHC) as a foundation for achieving health for all and reaching the furthest left behind first. About 90% of UHC interventions can be delivered using a PHC approach; from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, potentially saving 60 million lives by 2030.

The Member States emphasized the importance of demonstrating the highest-level political commitment at the HLM in September with the aim of achieving resulting in a concise, action-oriented declaration for UHC.

[...]

COMMENT (NPW): I would add that quality of care is just as important as access and affordability. As we have discussed on HIFA, a 2018 Lancet paper estimated that 5-8 million deaths are caused by poor quality care every year (as we pointed out at the time, the true figure is probably much higher higher because it did not include care in the home or community before reaching a health facility). The Lancet paper did not estimate the number of deaths due to poor-quality primary versus secondary care. Quality of care is fundamentally dependent on the timely application of reliable healthcare information, and most deaths are probably (arguably, as we do not know the numbers) avoidable through the timely application of reliable healthcare information, even with minimal physical resources.

HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil AT hifa.org

HIFA - my source.

Learning for quality health services: A new thematic discussion on HIFA

The WHO Global Learning Laboratory (GLL) for Quality UHC and Healthcare Information For All (HIFA.org) are delighted to announce a new thematic discussion on HIFA: Learning for quality health services. The discussion starts on 28 June and will continue through to 20 August.

Quality of health services is critical to achieving universal health coverage (UHC): Between 5.7 and 8.4 million deaths are attributed to poor quality care each year in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for up to 15% of overall deaths in these countries. Improving access to health services must go hand in hand with improving the quality of these services. There is an urgent need to place quality at the centre of national-, district- and facility-level actions in order to progress towards UHC.

The discussion will explore in depth the following questions:

- What does quality of care mean to you, in your particular context? Why is it important to make the case for quality of care?

- From your experience, what might work best to enhance national commitment to quality of care? Have you seen any practical solutions that should be shared wider?

- From your experience, what are the biggest challenges for district health managers in tackling quality of care issues? Have you seen any practical solutions that should be shared wider?

- From your experience, what are the biggest challenges for improving quality of care at the facility level? Have you seen any practical solutions that should be shared wider?

Please forward this message to your contacts and networks and invite everyone to join us!

https://www.hifa.org/news/learning-quality-health-services-new-thematic-discussion-hifa

www.hifa.org/joinhifa

We have more than 60 HIFA members volunteering for this project. Also, we are introducing for the first time the concept of HIFA Catalysts, whose role is to stimulate comment and debate. We look forward to a rich discussion!

HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh, HIFA Coordinator, neil AT hifa.org www.hifa.org

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Mapping some points to Hodges' model:

individual
|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

SAFETY cognitive access QUALITY of CARE quantity of CARE health literacy mental health	SAFETY faculty - facilities physical access QUANTITY of CARE quality of CARE distance rural : urban Between 5.7 and 8.4 million deaths are attributed to poor quality care each year ... accounting for up to 15% of overall deaths in these countries
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS	low- and middle-income countries national commitment to quality of care Universal Health Coverage

12TH ANNUAL TANZANIA HEALTH SUMMIT 2025 (reminder)

THEME: "Harnessing Data Utilization and Technologies to Accelerate Universal Health Coverage"

INTRODUCTION 

Healthcare systems are evolving worldwide through the integration of health data and technologies. This integration is crucial for advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly in developing nations. Data forms the foundation, encompassing patient information, treatments, and outcomes. Technologies on the other hand serve as tools like cloud storage, IoT devices, and blockchain that enable efficient data collection and processing. AI, a subset of digital technologies, then transforms this data into actionable insights through machine learning and predictive analytics, improving healthcare delivery and decision-making. The healthcare AI market's projected growth of 36.8% CAGR from 2025 to 2030 (Matsukatov, 2024) reflects its potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, from diagnosis to resource allocation. Tanzania exemplifies how this integration impacts developing healthcare systems - with its UHC service coverage index expected to exceed 48% by 2025, the country is working to bridge healthcare access and quality gaps (WHO, 2025). The upcoming 12th Tanzania Health Summit will address how these components work together in low-resource settings. The focus will be on practical applications: health technology platforms for data management, technology infrastructure for connectivity, and AI-driven analysis for disease prediction. This integrated approach shows how developing nations can leverage technologies to accelerate progress toward comprehensive healthcare coverage despite the current resource constraints. 

CONTEXT 

Tanzania's healthcare system exemplifies both the challenges and opportunities in leveraging digital technology to achieve Universal Health Coverage in sub-Saharan Africa. With a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1.3:10,000 (against WHO's recommended 1:1,000), the country has strategically embraced digital innovation to bridge critical healthcare gaps (WHO, 2025). The Tanzania Digital Health Strategy (2019-2024) serves as the blueprint for this digital transformation, focusing on three key areas: health information systems, electronic medical records (EMRs), and data-driven decision-making (Ministry of Health, Tanzania Digital Health Strategy; 2019-2024). This initiative has shown measurable progress, with EMR deployment reaching 66.57% of healthcare facilities nationwide (PORALG, 2025). The implementation of DHIS2 (District Health Information System 2) has enhanced national health data collection and analysis, notably improving disease outbreak response capabilities.

Conference details 
Text: Concept note

Universal Health Coverage (UHC): WHO is Listening?

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic --------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

COGNITIVE ACCESS	PHYSICAL ACCESS
SOCIAL ACCESS

Africa's Nutrition Movement: Seizing the Window with Primary Health Care

Africa's mission to eliminate malnutrition is more critical than ever. Bubbling down the high level commitments to strategic programmable goals will be critical at primary health care and community levels.

The continent has made significant progress in recent years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for sustained efforts to address the complex issues surrounding malnutrition, particularly for women and children as we build traction to meet the sustainable development goals by 2030.

"The year 2025 will also be significant as it marks the end of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition. N4G Paris will serve as a multi-stakeholder summit, advocating for ambitious financial and political commitments and fostering dialogue among diverse actors from around the world, including governments, international organizations, research institutions, civil society organizations, philanthropies, private sector entities, and more." - #N4G

Connecting dots is a a key imperative as we build Africa's nutrition movement. One of them is viewing nutrition from a programmable health systems lens. Have we given this enough traction ?

"The N4G conference presents a crucial opportunity for Africa to gain traction on its mission to eliminate malnutrition. The conference aims to mobilize ambitious financial and political commitments, foster dialogue among diverse stakeholders, and put nutrition at the center of the sustainable development agenda." - United Nations SDGs Professional Support Group for Africa

One of the key lessons from COVID-19 is the importance of strengthening health systems, particularly at the primary healthcare level. The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in many health systems, highlighting the need for increased investment in health care infrastructure, workforce, and services which will ultimately impact on nutrition delivery at the base of the health system.

The upcoming Africa Primary Health Care Forum , scheduled for Abuja on July 14-15, 2025, will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss the importance of primary health care(PHC) in achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and health security, as well addressing malnutrition in PHC systems. The forum will also explore the role of digital health, digitised workforce, partnerships and financing in strengthening primary healthcare systems and improving general health outcomes.

More details continued at: https://www.phc.africa/

RCN Congress 2019 ii "We are all Global Nurses"

The debate about public sector vs. private sector healthcare touches all healthcare professionals. There is no escape. Despite this, from my 40+ years in the NHS - the NHS can act as a cocoon. It's as if the walls are adorned with "Keep Calm and Carry On". For some of us there is a 'keep your head down' mentality. While as a nursing assistant and student nurse, the words "Make sure you join COHSE, NUPE or the RCN" rang out; it was the day job, learning and family that had my attention. I wish I'd got to Congress decades ago.



You can't do everything and this lack of involvement is a blessing in a way. For example, without ever taking anything for granted, I never imagined I would need the help of my union/professional body. When I did and 'we won' thanks to a brilliant RCN Rep. Being represented has this quality to it. Unless, you are an activist, it is a newsletter, journal, annual pay discussion, but this opened my eyes. As a consequence, I encourage students, even more so and others to ensure they are represented and get involved.

To Congress itself: I was surprised and disappointed to hear several years ago about the RCN's cessation of links to the International Council of Nurses [ICN]. Further surprise followed when a Congress debate revealed it was five-six years ago in fact:

Members vote to allow RCN to leave international nursing body

£600,000 is 'politics' in the raw for membership and the RCN Council. The cost of ICN membership  was debated at Congress. There are various arguments. This seemed a break on many levels; social, political, psychological and scientifically.

(Bizarrely, perhaps this state of affairs says something in support of reflection. When the latter is accused of fostering navel-gazing, finance and value for money ... speak volumes, but the RCN's global isolation is navel-gazing realised aggravated by the ongoing psychological experience of Brexit.)

In championing Hodges' model as a global resource for healthcare and education, my parochial perspective from Wigan Pier has felt acute. Online I've long nurtured links with global nursing and healthcare groups: HIFA, HIPNET, GANM, Nursing Now and others. In workshops with nursing students and other disciplines, the ICN and global nursing context is always stressed (the ICD too). [After all, as students and lifelong learners these people do have the World at their feet.]

The relevance of Hodges' model increases daily and - my bias aside - the model's significance is crystalised in this issue for the RCN and its members. As noted in the debate John Gilmore raises the matter of refugees. For those in crisis through natural disaster, conflict and crime amid chaos there is geopsychiatry and the mental health implications for children and future generations of this 'lived experience'. As we await further news on this, below I have mapped key elements of the debate in Hodges' model:

There is a digital archive for members to watch the debate.

individual - self
"My backyard"

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group- population
"The WORLD of Nursing"

Philosophical: Values, Philosophies of Care Mental Health Mental Health of Nurses Parity of Esteem - geoPSYCHIATRY Ethel G. Fenwick and others [ Health Education & Promotion, Sustainability ]	The 'GEO-' in Nursing Nursing logistics Research; Collaboration, Multi-center, Evidence, The 'UNIVERSAL' in UHC Definitions of Nursing Roles Skills & Knowledge Coding & Classification initiatives Global: 20,000,000 nurses ICN predates RCN 'transparency'
The Nursing Community "Voice" 1899 ICN formed SOCIO-[Economic] status of nurses The global: Community of Practice Collegiality Cooperation Collaboration Fellowship "We are all global nurses."	'political' POLICY: Workforce, Migration, Recruitment crisis Safe Staffing (National, Global) Medical Emergencies, Climate change Working groups: Standards, Issues Funding, ICN, RCN and other bodies Support for Developing Nations LMIC The Scope of Nursing Stewardship ICN - Membership model PAY restraint, austerity As of 2013: £614,470 / £1.42 per member Business case

How do you measure the impact of an organisation?

2020 - International Year of the Nurse

20:20 vision IS global

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On

'International Nurse's Day' 2025 #2 - c/o ICN & WHO

State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025

State of the World’s Nursing

Report 2025

'As the world’s nurses celebrate International Nurses Day (IND), ICN issues a rallying cry to governments around the globe for urgent nursing support, following the launch of the second World Health Organization (WHO) State of the World’s Nursing (SOWN) report.

The SOWN report is a vital assessment of the global nursing workforce in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and underscores the urgent need for bold investments in nursing to address shortages, strengthen health systems, and promote global resilience and economic stability.

The SOWN report reflects ICN’s IND 2025 report, Caring for nurses strengthens economies, and related Survey of National Nurses' Association (NNA) Presidents, reinforcing the central role of nurses in achieving global health, including Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and calling for immediate action to address long-standing challenges. The SOWN data presents a mixed picture. It highlights progress in areas such as advanced practice and nursing leadership, but indicates gravely concerning continued workforce shortages, inadequate compensation and working conditions, poor mental health support, inequities in the distribution and employment of nurses, and failures to fully enable nurses as practitioners and health care leaders.'

Continued ...

Caring for nurses strengthens economies

Caring for nurses
strengthens economies

'As we face growing health care challenges, from ageing populations and rising chronic diseases to climate-related emergencies and deepening global inequalities, the need for a strong, sustainable nursing workforce has never been greater. We cannot meet these challenges without sufficient nurses who are themselves well-cared for and supported. ICN’s International Nurses Day report reveals the severity of our current nursing shortage and well-being crisis – and the path forward. ICN’s “Caring for Nurses Agenda” provides a comprehensive roadmap for creating environments where nurses, patients, and entire health care systems can flourish.'

Source: ICN

‘Life & health’: overview of global health, climate crises, SDGs and Africa Agenda 2030

26 December, 2025 

Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) proudly announces its Maiden ‘Life & Health’ Symposium, a landmark convening designed to inspire dialogue, innovation, and collective action around one of the most pressing issues of our time: “Overview of Global Health, Climate Crises, SDGs and Africa Agenda 2030.” This inaugural symposium represents AHOA’s commitment to shaping forward-looking conversations that connect health, environment, and sustainable development across Africa and beyond.

The world is experiencing an unprecedented convergence of health challenges and climate-related crises. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss are reshaping disease patterns, food systems, water security, and livelihoods. These realities disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, where fragile health systems and socioeconomic inequalities amplify vulnerability. The ‘Life & Health’ Symposium seeks to interrogate these realities and offer integrated, actionable pathways aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Agenda 2030.

At the heart of the symposium is a bold premise: health is both a driver and an outcome of sustainable development. Achieving good health and well-being (SDG 3) is inseparable from progress on climate action (SDG 13), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), zero hunger (SDG 2), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10). By convening experts across disciplines, the symposium will explore how these interconnected goals can be pursued through coordinated policies, resilient systems, and inclusive partnerships.

The Maiden ‘Life & Health’ Symposium is designed as a multi-stakeholder platform, bringing together policymakers, health professionals, climate experts, development practitioners, civil society leaders, academics, youth advocates, and the private sector. Participants will engage in high-level discussions, evidence-based presentations, and solution-oriented exchanges that bridge science, policy, and practice. The symposium will also provide a space for emerging voices and community perspectives, ensuring that local realities inform global ambitions.

A key focus of the symposium is Africa’s Agenda 2030, which contextualizes global commitments within the continent’s development aspirations. Africa stands at a pivotal moment: with a rapidly growing youth population, expanding urban centres, and increasing climate exposure, the choices made today will define health and development outcomes for decades. The symposium will highlight opportunities to harness Africa’s demographic dividend, promote climate-resilient health systems, and foster innovation that aligns with the continent’s priorities.

Participants can expect rich thematic sessions addressing:

I. Global health trends and emerging risks in a changing climate;

II. Climate-sensitive diseases and the future of prevention and preparedness;

III. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the context of climate resilience;

IV. Policy coherence and governance for integrated SDG implementation;

V. Financing and partnerships for sustainable health and climate action; and

VI. Youth leadership and community engagement as catalysts for Agenda 2030.

Beyond knowledge exchange, the symposium is action-oriented. It aims to catalyze policy-relevant recommendations, foster cross-sector partnerships, and inspire practical initiatives that can be scaled across regions. Afrihealth Optonet Association envisions the symposium as a springboard for sustained collaboration, research, advocacy, and capacity-building that advance health equity and climate justice.

The ‘Life & Health’ Symposium also reflects AHOA’s broader mission to promote evidence-informed decision-making and civil society leadership in health and development. By creating a recurring platform for dialogue and learning through the 52 Sessions in the 2026 ‘Life & Health’ Dialogue Series, AHOA seeks to strengthen the role of civil society in shaping inclusive policies, amplifying marginalized voices, and holding stakeholders accountable to shared commitments.

As the world accelerates toward 2030, time is of the essence. The interlinked crises of health and climate demand urgency, innovation, and solidarity. AHOA’s Maiden ‘Life & Health’ Symposium offers a timely opportunity to rethink silos, align strategies, and recommit to a future where people and planet thrive together, a future that will always seek to ‘Leave No One Behind’.

Afrihealth Optonet Association warmly invites policymakers, practitioners, scholars, development partners, youth leaders, and all stakeholders committed to sustainable development to be part of this historic inaugural symposium, as well as partner with AHOA through the 2026 Dialogue Series. Together, we can deepen understanding, strengthen partnerships, and chart a resilient pathway toward better health outcomes, climate resilience, and the realization of the SDGs and Africa Agenda 2030.

Continued - with links (and my source):

https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/%E2%80%98life-health%E2%80%99-overview-global-health-climate-crises-sdgs-and-africa-agenda-2030

And - Happy New Year to All!