Om April 9th PAHO joined hands with the Ministry of Health to form a solidarity chain in commemoration of World Health Day 2019.The event was held at the Belize Sign Monument near the Baron Bliss Lighthouse. It was a joyous moment as all joined and raised hands shouting, “universal health for all!”
This year, World Health Day (WHD) was celebrated on April 7 and it marked the end of the World Health Organization’s 70th anniversary celebrations. In the Region of the Americas, these celebrations have been focused on universal health, under the theme "Universal health: Everyone, Everywhere.”
Universal Health means that all people have access, without any kind of discrimination, to comprehensive quality services, wherever they need them, without facing financial difficulties. It requires the definition and implementation of policies and actions with a multisectoral approach to address the social determinants of health and promote the commitment of the whole society with health and well-being. Universal health is not just about ensuring everyone is covered, but that everyone has access to care when they need it, wherever they are.
Today’s activity was preceded by an excellent presentation on Universal Health given to staff by Dr. Edwin Bolastig, Advisor, Health Systems and Services. It was simple and allowed for spirited discussion and interaction. While general in nature, it allowed for personnel to relate the concepts to the situations in the country and to their own personal experiences. We all look forward to the next presentation on this topic.
