Effective, sustainable and equitable health care has long been a standard for a quality of life that everyone has a right to. A standard that though recognised and established as necessary, has not been fully realised across the world as yet. On Universal Health Coverage Day (12 December), we are shedding light on who contributes to healthcare, how and why it is important, and why it should be on your mind too. 

As a British- Zimbabwean and Zambian woman born in Zimbabwe, I have seen and experienced first hand the differences in global healthcare systems. Experiencing a free at point of use NHS due to living in the diaspora, but having also received healthcare in Zimbabwe when fallen ill, I have seen the difference the right and necessary investment can make.

Communities with working healthcare infrastructure have more resilient, productive, peaceful and prosperous people. Health for all is a prerequisite to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this to be achieved, those investing in healthcare have a duty to take a ‘people-centered’ approach, recognising individuals as not merely statistics but as people who deserve a life that is free of preventable diseases, with access to medicines, vaccinations and health resources. These necessities should also not come with a price tag for the service user. High cost of living,  including public transport and food, pushes those in already difficult economic situations further into poverty. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 100 million people were pushed into extreme poverty because they had to spend on health care beyond their ability to pay. It should not be a privilege to have access to clean water, sterilised equipment and medicines: it is a basic need. Humanity as a whole and individuals thrive when they are healthy, and this opportunity must be afforded to everyone.

There are many stakeholders in efficient healthcare, including both patients, donors and advocacy stakeholders such as politicians and donors. Frontline workers not only deserve to be compensated for the work they do, but they also need training. In Global South countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe and Congo, a lot of frontline workers administering medicines for diseases such as HIV, TB and Malaria do so in small clinics with little training and insufficient  workers to do the work. God forbid they also get sick and become unable to work themselves. I remember during a visit to Lusaka, Zambia the long and stressful diagnosis process when my cousin contracted malaria. At the local hospital, the doctor was unable to be found and the attending nurse mistakenly gave my cousin a pregnancy test before sending her home. As her symptoms worsened, we returned to the same hospital, where a blood test finally confirmed malaria. This set off a frantic search across the city to find medication which was in short supply due to widespread shortages across pharmacies and local clinics. This experience highlighted the disparities in global health systems and how with the right investment from governments, these systems can be built up well and robustly. 

Unfortunately, the pandemic highlighted just how unprepared governments were to tackle the spread of a new infectious disease. Many warnings by scientific experts were ignored, and insufficient funding was made available to build efficient and effective systems, even in the Global North. While other spending priorities such as defence and global insecurity have arisen over this period, it remains imperative to prioritise building effective health systems and resilience to future health threats. 

Diseases can spread rapidly, and so all countries need robust health systems, to be able to respond and keep people around the world and in their own countries safe. This involves support from wealthy Northern countries, but not simply as ‘donations’ to the Global South; rather, as partners in a global system in which the need to invest in things like domestic health systems and  regional manufacturing capacity are recognised, this refers to the production of goods at a local level in this case production of health products, such as vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics, at a regional or local level.

Working in, with and alongside communities  increases the speed and sustainability in which the system is built, creating not only a safer local environment, but a world for the future. Everyone must be protected, everyone’s life counts and everyone deserves the right to good healthcare. 2025 is a big year in terms of replenishments with Gavi, The Global Fund and Global Polio Eradication Initiative all looking towards one. At Results we believe it is necessary for governments around the world to commit to investment priorities and ensure the right work is done to fund these initiatives to continue creating robust and efficient global health systems. Check out our recent actions calling on the Government to support these initiatives and join us in urging the UK Government to prioritise strengthening health systems.