Table 2.
Normative overlaps between universal health coverage and the right to health
| Universal health coverage: Factors that must be in place29 | Obligations of the right to health (General Comment No. 14) |
|---|---|
| A strong, efficient, well-run health system that meets priority health needs through people-centered integrated care, implying the following: | Adoption and implementation of a national public health strategy and plan of action as a core obligation (General Comment No. 14, para. 43(f)) |
| Informing and encouraging people to stay healthy and prevent illness | Information accessibility (General Comment No. 14, para. 12) |
| Detecting health conditions early | Prevention (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, arts. 12(2)(b) and (c)) |
| Having the capacity to treat disease | Treatment (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, arts. 12(2)(c) and (d)) |
| Helping patients with rehabilitation | |
| A system for financing health services so people do not suffer financial hardship when using them | Affordability (“financial accessibility”) (General Comment No. 14, para. 12) |
| Access to essential medicines and technologies to diagnose and treat medical problems | Access to essential medicines as a core obligation (General Comment No. 14, para. 43) |
| A sufficient capacity of well-trained, motivated health workers who can provide the services based on the best available evidence | Training of health personnel as a core obligation (General Comment No. 14, para. 44(e)) |
| Coverage of all components of the health system: service delivery systems, workforce, facilities and communication networks, technologies, information systems, quality assurance mechanisms, governance, and legislation | Availability, accessibility, and high quality of health services (General Comment No. 14, para. 12) |
| A progressive expansion of coverage of health services and financial risk protection as more resources become available | Progressive realization (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 2(1); General Comment No. 3) |
| Not necessarily free coverage for all possible health interventions | The right to health is “not a right to be healthy” (General Comment No. 14, para. 8); affordability means making health services financially accessible, not free of charge (General Comment No. 14, para. 12) |
| Steps toward equity, development priorities, social inclusion, and cohesion | Importance of the underlying determinants of health (General Comment No. 14, para. 4) |