The World Health Organisation (WHO) marked its 70th anniversary on April 7, calling for universal health coverage so that everyone, everywhere can access essential quality health services without facing financial hardships. The Organization has urged governments to live up to the commitments they made to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to advance health for all. Achievement of that goal requires a strong and sustained political will. In the case of Pakistan, healthcare alongside education has always been one of the low priority subjects in annual budgetary allocations. It remains a moot point whether within the existing resource constraints it is possible to assign more money to the health sector; and if so, how much more would be needed to universalize people’s access to health services without them worrying about financial costs.

Affordable quality care is a human right not a privilege; it also helps advance economic development. Sadly, Pakistan has one of the highest child and mother mortality rates. And according to UNICEF, 44 percent of children — the third highest percentage in the world — suffer from stunted growth due to chronic under-nutrition and are susceptible to all sorts of illnesses. This is deeply disturbing. For what it means is that such a large part of the future generation will fail to realize their real physical and mental potential. They are caught in a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty that has serious long-term implications for the nation’s socio-economic progress. A recent press report revealed that the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has risen to an alarming level of 59 percent. They usually become chronic requiring persistent medical attention, and are a major cause of premature deaths. It is imperative, therefore, the federal and provincial governments fulfill their respective responsibilities to provide universal health coverage, and also adopt defensive measures.

The rise in NCDs is known to be caused by unrestrained vehicular pollution, contaminated drinking water, unsafe working conditions in certain industries, unhealthy foods, and sedentary habits common among urban dwellers. If only the existing environmental and labour laws are properly implemented many of these life-threatening ailments will not recur, reducing the burden on health services. Creating public awareness about the benefits of physical activity can also be quite helpful. There is an urgent need for health planners to devise evidence-based national standards for disease control with an emphasis on universal health cover as well as preventive strategies.