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TO PROTECT SOCIAL HEALTH

Social health protection

Various organizations and institutions working in the field of social health protection (SHP) are offering different definitions of SHP. Hence, P4H partners see limited need for P4H to come up with its own new definition.

The joint support of P4H partners is based on the international understanding of social health protection as outlined in World Health Assembly resolution WHA58.33 and in ILO documents , where SHP is referred to as ,  a system -based on prepayment and financial risk-pooling- that ensures equitable access to essential quality health services at affordable prices, with contributions to the systems based on capacity to pay and benefits based on need and  a series of measures against ill health related cost of treatment, social distress, loss of productivity, and loss of earnings due to inability to work.
Universal coverage

Full social health protection corresponds to the term “universal coverage” which is used in the WHO concept of health for all and primary health care.

Universal coverage of health care is defined as effective access to appropriate essential quality health services at an affordable cost. Universal coverage implies equity of access and financial risk protection. It is also based on the notion of equity in financing - people contribute to the system on the basis of capacity to pay.

Achieving universal social health protection coverage is a central objective for the P4H partners. In this context coverage refers to social protection in health, taking into account:

  •  The size of the population covered.
  •  The financial and geographical accessibility of covered services.
  •  The extent to which costs of a benefit package are covered.
  •     The quality and adequacy of services covered.


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