RC66 | Defining Universal Health Coverage-Priority Benefits Package (UHC-PBP)

[Music] look this seems too good to be true do you really think it can be done of course it can be done but only if countries know how to do it and manage to direct their investment towards the right areas you're right but it can't be easy otherwise everyone would have done it actually many countries of various income levels have managed to provide their populations with access to good quality health services without exposing the users of these services to financial hardship

this can be achieved by defining a universal health coverage priority benefits package and ensuring its effective implementation to enable individuals to access the health services they need and what do you mean by UHC priority benefits package imagine a family of four a mother a father and two children the family goes to the supermarket and each one of them needs to get different products but they have a limited budget and can't pay for all the products they actually need no I can

relate to that so what do they do the family members jointly consider the list of items that they need and the resultant benefits they examine the resources and then purchase items according to the priorities and preferences of all family members in doing so they are responding to the most important needs of all family members by ensuring they select the highest value items according to their available resources and how is that relevant to the health system in different countries if we apply this example to countries it would mean that each country is like a

family no in household well the family in this example represents the population with its different needs and preferences and decision makers within the health system who have limited resources the different products represent the various available health programs services and interventions but equally policies and actions that are outside the health sector that have an impact on population and individuals health and the basket of chosen products represents the UHC priority benefits package that stratifies the maximum

health needs of the majority of the population by ensuring the best value for the money and accordingly no basket of any one family is same as another's and that's why different countries have different UHC priority benefits packages where each is carefully tailored to address the specific needs of its population correct exactly to simplify it can be regarded as a set of prioritized healthcare policies and interventions that respond to the most important needs of the population of a given country including

the poor and vulnerable and which are provided through appropriate service delivery and financing arrangements au HC priority benefits package is a set of evidence-informed prioritized health interventions services and programs including inter-sectoral actions and fiscal policies defined through a deliberative process that accounts for economic realities and social preferences interesting but how can countries decide on what should be included in their UHC

priority benefits package there are three main steps first identify the health needs of the population and assess the capacity of various interventions to fulfill these needs through the use of evidence and data second engage in dialogue with all stakeholders including the public to propose what to include in a UHC priority benefits package and third decide on what is politically and economically feasible to include in a national UHC priority benefits package

and work towards its effective delivery ensuring good quality and financial protection for all these steps need to be institutionalized and regularly reviewed to ensure that emerging needs are considered and evidence on new interventions and on resources is taken into account this is great but honestly I'm still not clear on how au HC priority benefits package helps countries progress towards the goal of UHC the answer to that is in the six benefits of implementing a UHC priority

benefits package equity in access financial protection promoting quality allocative efficiency accountability and empowering the community so to conclude having a UHC priority benefits package is integral to the progressive realization of universal health coverage when all countries of de Blasio's eastern Mediterranean region committed to achieving universal health coverage by signing that UHC 2030 Global Compact

they made this region the first of all the blue Oregon's to do so this in itself was a remarkable achievement implementing a well-defined budget of essential health services through understanding priorities and strengthening key services is an integral step towards the progressive realization of universal health coverage having universal health coverage priority benefits biking is feasible for all countries even those affected by or

recovering from emergencies however it does not come without challenges whu-oh is committed to supporting countries of Tarragona in this regard this is not only integral to implementing our regional 20:23 vision but is equally an essential step in the process of countries attaining national development goals to fulfill their commitments under the 2030 agenda for sustainable development you