UHC is the cornerstone of global health equity and sustainable development. However, 50% of the world’s population do not have access to the essential health services, indicating that major efforts will be required to overcome this critical gap.

No single government, organization, or sector can achieve UHC on its own. Meaningful collaboration is critical, and the private sector is an important global health partner to deliver UHC.

IFPMA, on behalf of our members, is committed to progress toward UHC and seeks to leverage innovation to achieve health equity, emphasizing three foundational elements:  improving primary health care, ensuring adequate financing, and focusing on multistakeholder partnerships. Read our position paper on UHC.

UHC is about all people accessing the quality and effective essential healthcare they need without experiencing financial hardship as a result. Primary health care (PHC) is at its foundation.

PHC is the package of essential health services—ranging from promotion and prevention (including vaccination) to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. A person receives these services across their life course, often beginning before birth and continuing through illness, injury, work, childbirth, aging, and the end of life.

PHC is the frontline of a resilient health system, one which can prepare for, withstand the stress of, and respond to the public health consequences of disasters and emergencies while sustainably helping to reduce hospitalizations and lost productivity from premature deaths.

For people living with chronic conditions, often coupled with co-morbidities, PHC is particularly important. IFPMA commissioned research that showed a 1% increase in GDP spend in low- and middle-income countries, where at least 40% is dedicated to PHC interventions for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), could result in five million lives saved every year.

Unlocking investment in PHC is critical to build stronger, preventative healthcare systems and make substantive progress in tackling NCDs, infectious diseases, and the associated threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Our members continue to work to drive improved access to medicines and vaccines, and work in partnership to strengthening healthcare systems to improve the lives of people around the world.

Increased financing is essential for countries to make sustainable progress toward UHC.

Achievement of UHC relies on the leadership and political will of governments. It may require domestic fiscal and structural reforms to increase the total resources available and to reduce the share of out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures. Government financing should be consistent with national development strategies, help ensure efficient and equitable allocation of resources to PHC, and recognize the value of prioritizing prevention across the care continuum and resilient health systems.

In fact, data from the Office of Health Economics (OHE) demonstrates that adult immunization programs can deliver up to 19 times their initial investment, generating substantial societal and economic returns proportional to childhood immunization programs. We also see that NCD solutions offer a 19:1 return on investment, with co-benefits for health and the environment.

While public financing is essential, this does not mean that governments have to deliver all health services themselves and fit-for-purpose Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) should also be considered. There are many good examples of countries achieving UHC by using public funding to deliver services through both public and private health providers.

The innovative pharmaceutical industry operates in and adapts to a range of financing systems through our companies and associations in nearly every country. This includes multi-payer, single-payer, and hybrid systems, as well as public and private health insurance programs. As a result, we have significant experience to share with governments on sustainable financing models to meet their unique needs.

UHC requires us to revolutionize the way we see investments in health—not as a cost to society, but as a genuine investment in our human capital, as the drivers of economic development and growth.

The innovative pharmaceutical industry plays a key role toward achieving UHC.

As a member of the UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency (PSC), IFPMA is strongly supportive of the UHC2030 Private Sector Constituency statement on private sector commitments drawing from the Action Agenda. The Action Agenda is a set of action-oriented policy recommendations aimed at country leaders to strengthen resilient and equitable health systems, advance universal health coverage and health security, and deliver health for all by 2030.

The UHC2030 PSC statement outlined five commitments:

1. Incorporate UHC principles, including to leave no one behind, into our business
2. Deliver innovations that respond to the needs of all people including underserved populations, and make these safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable
3. Help strengthen the health workforce, responding to local context, priorities and needs
4. Contribute to efforts to raise the finance available for UHC
5. Champion and engage in multi-stakeholder policy dialogues that advance UHC.