Forum calls to make Universal Healthcare happen

The wheels have been set in motion towards the attainment of Universal Healthcare ( UHC). Now, it is time to accelerate efforts for Filipinos to fully benefit from decades of health reforms leading to Universal Healthcare.

Such will be the center of discussion among the country's thought leaders when they again converge to exchange insights and put into action recommendations to achieve health for all Filipinos during the annual forum “Health for Juan and Juana: Moving Forward with the Philippine Health Agenda” on May 29.

Now on its third year, the Health for Juan and Juana Forum with theme “Making Universal Healthcare Happen” aims to deepen engagements and strengthen collaborations to come closer to the attainment of UHC, realizing that the nation's social and economic progress depend on a healthy citizenry.

The forum will feature speakers from national and local government as well as policymakers who provide overall directions and manage the country's health agenda. It will discuss the “Golden Age of Health Infrastructure” where the government builds resiliency not only of infrastructure but more importantly, its people to fully achieve social and economic development.

It will also highlight the “whole- ofgovernment, whole- of-society” approach to achieving universal healthcare in the Philippines and how legislation is playing key role in instituting sustainable health reforms. These, at the backdrop of the country's commitment to delivering the government's Ambisyon 2040 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In Ambisyon 2040, which represents the collective long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country in the next 25 years, health plays a crucial role as an investment in the people and a strategy to protect them during times of instability. The UN SDG 3, on the other hand, aspires for a good and healthy well- being for all at all ages through universal health coverage among other targets.

The forum will put on spotlight continuing decades of health reforms leading to the current health agenda of “FOURMula One Plus: Boosting Universal Healthcare,” which vision is for Filipinos to be among the healthiest people in Southeast Asia by 2022, and in Asia by 2040.

The discussions are designed to explore the working frameworks and models and the operational requirements for making health care systems work. First, it will examine exemplary local government initiatives for an efficient and inclusive healthcare for their constituents. Then, the session will feature examples of private sector innovation, which infuse corporate strategies to enhance access to primary healthcare. It will also delve into the need for safety nets to mitigate financial catastrophe for critical illnesses. There will likewise be a showcase of healthcare system models that work in other countries with the objective of learning lessons from them.

Among the forum organizers and partners are the Department of Health, Asian Development Bank, Asian Institute of Management, Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, Ayala Healthcare, Havas Life, IQVIA, Medicines Transparency Alliance, Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, PHAPCares Foundation, University of the Philippines - College of Development Communication, University of the Philippines - Universal Healthcare Study Group, US-ASEAN Business Council, ANC, BusinessMirror,

BusinessWorld, INQ.net and INQ POP.