Fmr UN secy-gen for greater political will from India to achieve universal health coverage

Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon Thursday urged India to put "more political will" and push public financing in the health sector to achieve universal health coverage in the country.

Ban is in the country, as part of a delegation from The Elders, a London-based organisation of independent global leaders, which also released a report here on universal health coverage (UHC) in India.

"I am here with a single purpose, with a single agenda and that is to promote universal health coverage and overall health aspects. The Indian government has planned to spend 2.5 per cent of the GDP by 2025," he said.

"And, it is hoped that India will push much further investment and more money, and more political will by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, and chief minister and health ministers (of various states)," Ban said during a panel discussion here.

The report by The Elders said that India urgently needs UHC, as around 600 million people "fail" to access the health services they need and 63 million Indians are living in poverty because of healthcare costs.

"As a result, India has the second lowest life expectancy in South Asia -- almost eight years lower than in China," it said.

The report also said that while India has made some "notable achievements" in improving health indicators, the rate of progress assessed against a broad range of health outcome indicators, has been "disappointing".

Besides Ban, former Norwegian prime minister and former director general of the WHO Gro Harlem Brundtland, President of Public Health Foundation of India Dr K Srinath Reddy and NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul were in the panel.

Ban and Brundtland are slated to visit a mohalla clinic in Delhi on Friday.

Expanding on the idea of UHC, the former UN secretary-general said "it is a matter of political will".

"There would always be problem of resources. No country, no person can say he has enough money, not even the US... So, as a friend of India and as a former secretary-general of the UN, I strongly urge to really put more political commitment not only for health issues but overall implementation of the SDGs," Ban said.

India is the largest democratic country in the world, and other countries in the region look up to it, but despite that it has second lowest life expectancy in South Asia, he said.

"India should follow other countries like China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and my own country Republic Of Korea. And, switch to a predominately publicly financing system in healthcare, subsided for the sick and the poor" he said.

"I urge leaders of political society and civil society to raise their voice and speak up to governments, Union or local to work effectively towards achieving the universal health coverage and also ensure that SDGs too are not left behind ," he said.