Health for All to Leave No One Behind

In 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted a new global “2030 Agenda” pledging to “leave no one behind.” In the health sector, the most important issue is promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to “establish a world in which health can be maintained and every person is ensured access to basic health care services.”

Japan attained UHC in the early stage of economic development through measures such as the establishment of a national health insurance program, achieving the world’s most outstanding society of health and longevity. With this experience, Japan is demonstrating its world leadership role in this field, pushing forward with its international efforts to help to achieve UHC.

Under these circumstances, the UHC Forum 2017 was held in Tokyo in December of last year, co-hosted by the Government of Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and UHC 2030. At the Forum, discussions were held on practical measures aimed at accelerating the progress of UHC. The raised subjects included various issues such as the provision of healthcare services, health insurance systems, and pandemic preparedness against communicable diseases such as Ebola virus disease. Along with covering the speeches of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other VIPs delivered at the UHC Forum 2017 as well as the various discussions, the program will present the specific efforts undertaken by Japan as a leader in the UHC field.