COVID-19 and the Case for Universal Health Coverage: Build back better to deliver health for all

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on children’s health and well-being is devastating. Across much of the world, the pandemic is ravaging health systems, economies and livelihoods, and disrupting the delivery of routine health and nutrition services. Decades of progress on child survival and other development gains for children risk unravelling.

This crisis arrived on the heels of the first-ever UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and its resulting Political Declaration, endorsed by all Member States, which was meant to accelerate action towards achieving SDG target 3.8 – “financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all”. While the current pandemic poses a threat to achieving these goals, political and public support for health and health systems around the world has never been higher. 

COVID-19 and the Case for Universal Health Coverage: Build Back Better to Deliver Health for All makes the case for why we must invest in strong and resilient health systems that can prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks while continuing to deliver critical routine services, free the point of use, as part of universal health coverage. We call on governments and donors to protect the health and well-being of a generation of children and ensure their right to survive and thrive.