In their guest essay for Geneva Health Files, Pamela Cipriano and Magda Robalo emphasize the need for universal health coverage (UHC) as a cornerstone of global pandemic preparedness and response, using the ongoing mpox outbreak as a critical reminder.
As Member States convene to negotiate a new pandemic agreement, the ongoing mpox outbreak serves as a stark reminder of the critical gaps in health systems. The authors argue that UHC, grounded in a primary health care approach, is essential to ensuring equitable access to health services and effective responses to health emergencies.
The essay, co-authored by Cipriano, co-chair of UHC2030 and president of the International Council of Nurses, and Robalo, co-chair of UHC2030 and president of The Institute for Global Health and Development, stresses that the failure to invest adequately in health systems has left many countries unprepared to respond to outbreaks. The authors emphasise that achieving UHC would strengthen health systems, enabling early detection, treatment, and containment of diseases like mpox. They point out that without access to quality healthcare, even the best surveillance systems cannot function effectively.
Cipriano and Robalo call on governments and international bodies to make UHC a foundational element in the ongoing pandemic agreement negotiations. They urge global leaders to remove financial barriers to healthcare, invest in the health workforce, and ensure that marginalised communities have access to essential services. By doing so, the world can build more resilient health systems that protect everyone, especially during health emergencies.
