Sustainable development goals and universal health coverage: solidarity and equity for all patients

The International Alliance of Patients’ Organisations is a non-governmental organisation officially connected with the World Health Organisation, whose vision is to see patients at the centre of healthcare throughout the world, and its mission is to build patient-centred healthcare worldwide. Registered in the UK as a charity, the organisation has 276 members in 71 countries, many in low and middle-income countries, and covers over 51 disease areas.
Patient Solidarity Day (PSD), 3rd December 2016, saw patient organisations and advocates all over the world marching out and advocating the implementation into their national health services and programmes of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Adopted in September 2015 by 193 Heads of State of the UN General Assembly Members, Resolution 70/1 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDG 2030) is an important development in global health. For the first time, health is placed at the heart of development, and a comprehensive set of targets has been given, to address not only health but also social determinants of health [1].
SDG 3.8 is the flagship health goal. It is about setting up universal health coverage (UHC): all people should receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them, and without discrimination. The UHC should cover the full spectrum of essential and quality health services including health promotion, prevention and treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
In a high-level commitment, each Head of State has promised to achieve all the 17 health and socioeconomic goals within their borders by 2030 through the participation of the whole-of-government, whole-of-society, whole-of-industry (including Pharma), and whole-of-the patient movement.

SDG 2030 and health inequality

Professor Michael Marmot, who has led international research on health inequalities for over 30 years, has identified social determinants of health as a major factor responsible for much of the global health inequality and inequity today [2].
Patient organisations welcomed the 17 SDG 2030 goals as they looked at health holistically. Patients’ access to education, jobs, and safe environments was as important as their access to universal health coverage.
Patient participation, transparency, accountability, equity, and equality within the health system aim to...


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