Recovery, Renewal, Resilience

A recent UN policy brief identified the significant gap in health coverage as a core reason for COVID-19 having such devastating impacts on people's lives. Universal health coverages means that all people and communities can access the health services that they need, with three key priorities; "equity in access, sufficient quality and no undue financial risk". Consider:

• Establish universal provision for "COVID-19 testing, isolating, contact tracing" and treatment
• Ensure protection of essential health services during the critical phases of the pandemic (e.g. services for sexual and reproductive health)
• Through international partnerships, ensure future COVID-19 vaccines are a "global public good with equitable access for everyone, everywhere"
• Protect and invest in core health systems functions that are critical to protecting and promoting health and well-being, known as "Common goods for health"
• Suspend user fees for COVID-19 and other essential health care; reduce financial barriers to service use
• Strengthen local, national and global pandemic preparedness and aim for healthy societies for the future through a whole-of-society approach