As part of the celebration of the World Health Day on April 7th, representatives from different countries advocated for “Universal Health: for everyone, everywhere.”
On Wednesday, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa F. Etienne, and the former president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, made a call for all people everywhere to have access to the health services they need.
In the Americas, a third of the population faces obstacles to accessing health.
Health is a right and as such we must overcome barriers to access care,”
said Etienne.
For the authorities, it is not enough to have hospitals and health centers, but it is necessary to eliminate geographic barriers, institutional barriers and stigma and discrimination in health services, as well as inequities.
Institutions must have the right combination of human resources, infrastructure and equipment, medicines and other health technologies to avoid long waiting periods and offer quality care.”
The regional campaign for the Americas, promoted by PAHO, seeks to generate awareness and find solutions that help achieve health for all people by 2030.
For universal health for everyone and everywhere,
we have to build national consensus because the challenges are of such magnitude that they require the commitment and effort of all,”
stressed Bachelet during the conference organized by PAHO in Washington to celebrate this day.