UHC2030 and CSEM for UHC2030 are launching the #HealthCostsHurt Campaign to show the impact of health costs on people’s lives. This global campaign aims to raise awareness of the human faces behind the numbers and to urge decision-makers to prioritize financial protection for health.
Why now?
We know the statistics: 2 billion people experience financial hardship due to health expenses. Among them, 1.3 billion are pushed into poverty. But these aren’t just numbers. They are a student delaying or skipping care because it’s too expensive, a single mother falling into debt after a hospital visit, health workers watching patients suffer because treatment is unaffordable or families forced to choose between paying for care or putting food on the table.
In the current global context of overlapping crises, injustice and instability, the need to protect communities and invest in their resilience is more urgent than ever. It’s past time for decision-makers to invest in health for all and to protect people, particularly the most vulnerable, from the devastating impact of impoverishing health costs. The best way to do this is by going beyond the data and sharing real stories.
There are several key moments to drive progress on the horizon, including the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, the World Social Summit, and UHC Day. By sharing and amplifying our stories over the coming months and beyond, we can show up as a united movement, keep health costs on the global agenda, and push leaders to act now.
What can I do?
Help us show decision-makers that #HealthCostsHurt. If you have ever been affected by health costs, post a video with your story on social media using #HealthCostsHurt and tag your decision makers, UHC2030 and CSEM.
Videos are welcome from anyone around the world, whether on behalf of your organization or as an individual. Every voice matters! By adding yours, you’ll help build momentum and ensure that stories are amplified at key global advocacy moments, reminding leaders everywhere that health is a right, not a privilege.
CSEM social media tags:
- Bluesky: @csem4uhc.bsky.social
- X: @CSOs4UHC
- LinkedIN: csem for uhc2030 – the civil society engagement mechanism for universal health coverage
Inspirational videos:
You can find here great examples of #HealthCostsHurt video published by UHC advocates from Zimbabwe, India and the United States.
Jacob Ngwenya (Zimbabwe), from Champions Without Borders (CWB), sharing his story as a person living with HIV.
Nupur Lalvani (India) from Blue Circle Diabetes Foundation, who lives with Type 1 Diabetes, reminds us of the difficult choices families around the world face every day – between medicine and food, education, or rent.
Liam McCarthy (The United States), who is part of the Youth Leadership Programme for RARE DISEASES INTERNATIONAL and Ambassador for the Krishnan Family Foundation, reminding us strongly that “the numbers show the size of the problem, but the lived experiences show the weight of it.”
Contacts:
Please feel free to contact laura@wacihealth.org if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing your videos!
Together, let’s make it impossible for leaders to ignore the cost of inaction. Because #healthforall is not a luxury. It’s a human right.
