Disruption of Health Services Has Compounded COVID Challenges, Reversed Hard-Won Gains, Deputy Secretary-General Tells Joint Event

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Japan Institute of International Affairs/UNIC Tokyo/Ministry of Foreign Affairs Event — “The Significance of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Today’s World from the SDGs Viewpoint and the Role of the United Nations” — today:

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to address you today on the important issue of universal health coverage as it relates to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  I thank our co-hosts for organizing this event.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role of universal health coverage in the most tragic way possible.  It has reminded us of the urgency of national investment in both universal health coverage and health security.  It has also demonstrated our interconnectedness and the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation on health — and across the board.

Universal health coverage, UHC, means that all people have access without financial hardship to the full range of quality health services, across all the phases of their lives, to ensure their health and well-being.  It is an essential building block for the world we want by 2030, as set out in our universally agreed Agenda for Sustainable Development.

But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not on track to deliver on the SDGs by 2030.  Disruption to health services has now compounded the challenge, reversing hard-won progress on health care, including routine vaccinations, reproductive services, maternal and child health care, and mental health services.

Universal health coverage and health security are two sides of the same coin.  Both are essential to building resilient health systems that can prevent and respond quickly to future threats, including pandemics.

World leaders reinforced their commitment to UHC with a Political Declaration at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 that calls for an additional 1 billion people to have access to quality essential health services by 2023.  This must be our focus as we strive to get back on track.

Today’s event, and Japan’s important global advocacy, can help accelerate progress toward universal health coverage and all the Sustainable Development Goals.

Thank you, and I wish you all success.