Re: Invitation to Participate in UHC Survey 2020 for the State of UHC Commitment

[Ravi Ram]

Dear PHMers,

Following on the message that Esther shared, the UHC2030 task team, supported by WHO and the World Bank, is conducting a survey called the "State of UHC Commitments", and gathering stories to support the UHC rollout across the world. 

PHM seeks Health for All, with Primary Health Care as the means. Accordingly, PHM views the current model of Universal Health 'Coverage' somewhat critically, as it is primarily focused on health financing for the private sector, with little to no support for the poor. Other aspects of the health system, such as health workers, service quality, community empowerment and social accountability, are ignored in the current model of UHC.

The UHC2030 survey appears to be gathering information to show 'progress toward UHC' (their words) rather than understanding how UHC affects primary health care, health system strengthening, and health equity. That information is not sought in this current survey.

PHM global is working with other civil society networks to access the UHC2030 data, and produce a separate, independent report that aims to reform UHC so that it serves all people, especially the poor rather than those who have money. That is not guaranteed, however. This survey and its report are likely to be tilted to support the World Bank/financial view of health and UHC, rather than looking directly at people's health.

Accordingly, when you complete the survey, it will be important to keep a careful eye on how your responses may be used. We have many reports in the Kenyan media that show how UHC has not addressed Kenya's health system weaknesses (health worker strikers, abuses at KEMSA, etc.) as well as the failures of the private sector in treating poor patients (Covid or earlier) while it makes profits from UHC and NHIF. From PHM's view, it will be important to capture much of that missing information.

We urge you to contribute to the UHC2030 survey with your own critical perspective, so that evidence becomes available to show how UHC must be reformed. Feel free to add links to news stories, and also your own authentic, grassroots, personal experiences that show how UHC must be reformed rather than simply allowed to proceed.

Let's also have a discussion within PHM on how we can tackle this challenge.

Best,

Ravi (for the PHM UHC analysis group)

Some references on PHM's analysis of UHC are here:

https://phmovement.org/universal-health-coverage/ 

 

https://phmovement.org/civil-society-assessment-of-the-political-declaration-of-the-un-hlm-on-uhc/

Also, attached kindly find the following:

1. Africa Civil Society statement on UHC (Link: https://phmovement.org/african-civil-society-statement-on-universal-health-coverage/ )

2. Alternative Civil Society Astana Statement on Primary Health Care (Link: https://phmovement.org/alternative-civil-society-astana-declaration-on-primary-health-care/ )

On Fri, 28 Aug 2020 at 12:04, PHMovement kenya <phmke...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Members,

UHC2030 is asking for contributions to a multi-stakeholder review called 'The State of UHC Commitment'. Along with hard data, they want to tell the real story of access to and quality of health services. Do you care about health and health services? Does your government care about health and health services? Can you tell more about your or your community’s actual experiences of accessing health services?

Many countries are taking real and measurable steps forward to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). To better understand how this is happening or otherwise, UHC2030 is producing a multi-stakeholder review called the State of UHC Commitment with hard data about how governments are delivering on their commitment to UHC.

However, hard data has much more impact when it is accompanied by stories from real life, and that’s why they are asking for contributions from communities and organisations in countries across the world. They also want to check whether the reality described in the stories you send corresponds to the findings produced by the data.

They invite you to share your observations, anecdotes and materials that tell the real story of health care in your country. They would like the stories to be detailed and human, anonymized if necessary, and above all truthful, whether positive or negative. They will compile them and use them in the global synthesis report, in individual country profiles, which anyone will be able to use for advocacy and accountability in your country and community.

   

Tell your stories  here! The deadline to complete the survey is September 10, 2020. Read more about The State of UHC Commitment here. 

Kind regards,

Esther Muhati