The World Health Organization (WHO) recently hosted its 76th World Health Assembly (WHA). The assembly’s theme, “WHO at 75: Saving Lives, Driving Health for All,” emphasized the importance of ensuring healthcare access for all. One significant outcome was the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All’s report titled “Health for All: Transforming economies to deliver what matters,” which included critical recommendations for connecting health with sustainable development.
The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All
The WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, established in November 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, introduced new economic thinking. They focused on reassessing how health and well-being are valued, produced, and distributed across the economy.
Report Highlights: Identifying Global Failures and Gaps
The report revealed Covid-19 as a global failure, labelling the pandemic a preventable disaster. It cited the neglect of proactive measures against pandemics, leading to widespread crises, and pushing nearly 100 million people into poverty in 2020 alone. The report also highlighted the worldwide shortage of health workers, especially in low-income countries, and the prevalent health hazards due to climate change, including premature deaths and potential future casualties due to greenhouse gas emissions.
The State of Health Expenditure and Healthcare as a Right
The WHO Council’s report noted that short-term austerity measures undermine health expenditure, thereby compromising long-term stability in healthcare provision. Insufficient investments lead to an increased reliance on aid and out-of-pocket payments, hindering universal health coverage. Moreover, while health is recognized as a human right in at least 140 countries’ constitutions, few provide details on financing such initiatives, and even fewer practice it fully.
Recommendations for Sustainable Healthcare
The report suggested valuing health and well-being, health workers, and health systems as long-term investments. It proposed enforcing health as a human right through legal and financial commitments, restoring and protecting the environment, and adopting comprehensive approaches to healthcare financing.
Innovation and Public Capacity in Healthcare
Promoting symbiotic public-private alliances, designing knowledge governance for the common good, and aligning innovation with cross-sectoral missions were recommended steps towards health for all. The report also stressed the importance of investing in the public sector’s dynamic capabilities, institutionalizing experimentation and learning, and advocating transparency and public engagement.
World Health Assembly (WHA) Explained
The World Health Assembly (WHA) is WHO’s decision-making body attended annually by delegations from all of WHO’s member states in Geneva, Switzerland. It primarily focuses on the organization’s policies, appointment of the Director-General of WHO, administration of financial policies, and review and approval of the proposed programme budget.
The recently concluded 76th WHA reiterated the importance of achieving ‘health for all.’ The comprehensive report it released emphasizes the need for governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide to prioritize health, invest in healthcare, and encourage innovation to ensure an equitable and sustainable future.