The COVID-19 response has emphasised the glaring absence of social determinants of health and meaningful community engagement from major frameworks for health emergencies, such as the IHR. Moving forward, a unified GHS–UHC agenda should be built with intersectional equity at the centre. Incorporating the vision of fostering healthy populations (as advocated for by WHO, the Healthier Societies for Healthy Populations Group, and other stakeholders) with a political economy approach that considers “competing interests, institutions, and ideas”, can safeguard UHC and GHS in a global economic downturn. This perspective embeds the values of leaving no-one behind by protecting the rights of the most vulnerable groups, including LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others) populations and refugees, through health-in-all policies that rebuild health systems sustainably and equitably.
Equity: Apply a rights-based approach as the necessary foundation for health systems
Furthermore, a rights-based, climate-conscious, decolonizing global health approach to health governance would protect the ability of low-income and middle-income countries to equitably access necessary resources, such as vaccines and personal protective equipment, while obligating high-income countries, private sector, and major donors to “contribute a larger share of financing quality universal PHC systems that care for all regardless of ability to pay”. Ultimately, the collective endeavor of health equity will require policy makers to ensure that leadership in preparedness, response, and recovery for health emergencies places marginalized groups, such as women and minorities, in decision making roles. Multisectral and multistakeholder health structures should thus be able to effectively balance the constellation of private sector interests, public sector demands, and political tides.
Source : Lancet