Report on universal access to health and universal health coverage: hamilton-Canada advanced practice nursing conference April 15-17, 2015

Publication year: 2015

Universal Access to Health (UAH) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is an overarching goal of health systems and is based on the values of primary health care (PHC). It means that all people and communities have equitable access to comprehensive and guaranteed quality services that they need, throughout the life course, without financial hardship. In the World Health Report, 2000, it was stated that human resources are the most important part of the health system. Currently, the primary focus is on how human resources for health can attain, sustain, or accelerate the advancement of UAH/ UHC so that all people can access, use,, and obtain the high quality health services they need. The nursing and midwifery professions continue to evolve and their roles are influenced by local and global challenges. Nurses and midwives are prepared to respond and manage health care needs across the life span. Within the context of PHC and UAH/UHC, nursing and midwifery services contribute to reduction of morbidity and mortality, resulting from emerging and reemerging health problems. Nurses and midwives are frontline professionals who use an integrated and comprehensive approach including health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.