General assembly urges countries to launch affordable healthcare systems that cover all their citizens
The UN's adoption of a resolution on affordable universal healthcare (pdf) was momentous, according to its advocates.
The resolution, adopted by consensus in the general assembly on Wednesday, urged member states to develop health systems that avoid significant direct payments at the point of delivery and to have a mechanism for pooling risks to avoid catastrophic healthcare spending and impoverishment.
There was unusually wide support for the resolution. It came from the global north and south, including the US, the UK, South Africa and Thailand. By gaining support from every corner of the globe, the resolution recognised enthusiasm for universal healthcare from diverse countries and economies, said the Rockefeller Foundation, which has funded research on universal health systems.
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