Supporting Health for All on Universal Health Coverage Day
Project HOPE's Senior Program Officer for Noncommunicable Diseases blogs about the importance of ensuring that NCDs are part of the discussion in the global movement toward universal health coverage.
Did you know that 68% of global mortality is caused by noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases and cancer? Most of those deaths occur in low and middle income countries where people are frequently unable to access essential medications and technologies.
Can you imagine having diabetes or hypertension, but no opportunity to acquire the medicine you need to treat your condition? Can you imagine your loved one being diagnosed with a treatable cancer, but unable to access effective therapy? Can you imagine how a skilled health worker feels without the ability to provide necessary medications to patients? This happens every day in the developing world.
Lack of essential medications results in severe health consequences for individuals and creates tremendous burdens on health systems. Let’s do our part to make sure health workers worldwide have access to the essential medicines they need to treat patients with NCDs.
This Saturday, December 12 is Universal Health Coverage Day. Please join us in signing the #noemptyshelves #healthforall petition to make sure NCDs are part of the conversation!!
Learn More about Project HOPE’s noncommunicable disease work.