International Universal Health Coverage Day Date in the current year: December 12, 2024

On December 12, 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on global health and foreign policy that recognized the importance of universal coverage in national health systems and recommended that consideration be given to including universal health coverage in discussions of the post-2015 development agenda in the context of global health challenges.

Exactly five years later, the General Assembly adopted another resolution, proclaiming December 12 as International Universal Health Coverage Day. The new UN observance has become the annual rallying point for Health for All, the basis for the WHO’s primary health care strategy to promote health, human dignity, and better quality of life.

Universal health coverage, also called universal health care or socialized health care, is a health care system providing a specified package of health care benefits and financial risk protection to all citizens of a particular country. It doesn’t imply coverage for all people for all services. The WHO describes universal health coverage as a situation where citizens can access the most important health services without suffering financial hardship.

UHC Day was created to mobilize governments and other stakeholders to create stronger, more equitable health systems that leave no one behind. The human right to health is one of the most important rights whose concept has been enumerated in numerous international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By taking steps toward universal health coverage, governments show that they do care about human rights and their protection.

Access to health services shouldn’t depend on a person’s gender, race, ability, wealth, or citizenship. In addition, it should be affordable. People shouldn’t give up other life necessities to pay for health care or be pushed into poverty when they get sick. Universal health coverage doesn’t only improve the welfare of individual citizens. It is also a smart investment for any country because healthy people help economies rich their full potential. Achieving UHC promotes economic growth, creates new jobs, and helps combat extreme poverty.

The United Nations invites all member states, organizations of the UN System, civil society, NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders to observe UHC Day through educational and other activities. At the UHC Day website, one can find a toolkit containing guidelines and actions for policymakers, civil society and individuals, useful resources, sample social media messages, graphics, logos and brand guidelines, and other relevant materials.

In addition to International Universal Health Coverage Day, the United Nations and the World Health Organization promote other health-related observances, including World Health Day, World Autism Awareness Day, World Mental Health Day, World Diabetes Day, World AIDS Day, and more.