A global network for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Social Health Protection (SHP).
P4H
The P4H – Social Health Protection Network is a response to the global challenge that around 100 million people are pushed into poverty each year paying for health care out of pocket (OOP) at the time of need. Many more are too poor to consider going to a doctor in the first place. But poverty and OOP payment are not the only barriers to health care people face. For an estimated 1.3 billion people, health care is not available; for an even greater number, without any income support, sickness or disabling injury lead to severe financial penalties.
P4H
To address these issues, many low- and middle-income countries are now striving to establish UHC/SHP, and turning to external development partners (DP) for help and advice in drawing up and implementing policy. Increased global demand for support, coupled with the growing momentum behind UHC/SHP initiatives, has led to a marked increase in the number of actors and investments. Unfortunately, a lack of coherence, both at the country and DP level, often gets in the way of progress.
The main thrust of P4H efforts is coherent, enhanced support for the creation and extension of sustainable health and social protection systems for UHC/SHP, based on the values of universality and equity. The launch of P4H is an important landmark ushering in coordinated international support to accelerate countries’ transitions to UHC/SHP.
The purpose and scope of P4H
The main thrust of P4H efforts is coherent, enhanced support for the creation and extension of sustainable health and social protection systems for UHC/SHP, based on the values of universality and equity.
The joint efforts of P4H members include:
– The promotion of high-level political commitment to and ownership of UHC/SHP initiatives.
– A strategic approach towards UHC/SHP, e.g. by supporting the development of national UHC/SHP strategies based on the realities of what they can afford, that is in line with social and economic development objectives, and builds on a consensus about how to achieve its goals. P4H strives to offer state-of-the-art, unbiased support that encourages countries to develop and implement their own national policies and strategies according to their national priorities.
– Support to Capacity Development moving away from isolated capacity building activities to a structured and systematic approach that links human resource development with institutional and organisational development.
Published in GI-Mail 12/2016 (English edition). Sign up for GI-Mail here. 
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