Universal health coverage (UHC) from the perspective of fundamental human rights. Reflections on its potential application from the comparative analysis of the health systems of Argentina and Brazil

• In Event: The role of the State and civil society in promoting and guaranteeing fundamental rights. Reflections from the Southern Cone

Abstract

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is currently the main objective of health systems, based on the application of the strategy of primary health care, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). A recently published work (Bloom, Khoury and Subbaraman, 2018) recognizes four sets of arguments commonly used to support, and analyze, the development of UHC. The first set appeals to ethics and the notion that the protection of everyone's physical and mental health is fair and consistent with basic principles or distributive justice. The second argument, rooted in international law, is related to the acceptance of health as a fundamental human right. The third set of arguments has a more pragmatic root, related to the fact that healthy populations tend to be more politically stable and cohesive. Finally, the fourth group of arguments is the one that brings together aspects of an economic nature that can be summarized in this way: the CUS not only corrects market failures related to health but also drives macroeconomic development.

This paper focus on the first and second group of arguments. The comparative analysis start from their different historical trajectories in recognizing and attaining fundamental health rights, reviews the current status of their health and social security systems in meeting health needs and the examines the debate around UHC to analyze the feasibility of moving towards the goal of reaching the UHC in these countries.

Authors

• Ana Rita Diaz Munoz

• Martin Langsam, Independent Scholar