Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires strong collaboration across sectors, and this was the central theme of the discussions at the recent ECOSOC Partnership Forum which took place at the United Nations Headquarter in New York on February 5th, 2025 . The event brought together stakeholders from civil society, governments, private sector, and global health organizations to emphasize the urgency of breaking down silos and fostering integrated solutions for health equity.
Key Contributions from UHC Advocates
At the forum, several prominent voices from the UHC movement highlighted crucial aspects of achieving equitable and accessible healthcare for all:
Pamela Cipriano, UHC2030 Co-chair, made a powerful statement emphasizing the need for stronger collaboration beyond the health sector. She stressed the importance of addressing financial hardship, reducing out-of-pocket costs, and ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of UHC. Financial barriers remain a significant challenge, and overcoming them is key to achieving sustainable health systems worldwide.
Alhadi Osman, CSEM Advisory Group member and representative from Save the Children, elevated the conversation on context-specific solutions to reach zero-dose children—those who have not received a single dose of vaccines. He highlighted successful strategies from Nigeria and Ethiopia, demonstrating how tailored approaches can shape both national policies and global strategies to improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable populations.
UHC2030 also hosted a side event on our Multistakeholder Partnership for Advancing SDG 3 through Advocacy, Accountability and Alignment for UHC. Speakers from across UHC2030’s constituencies highlighted the crucial role of all partner-member states, global health institutions, civil society and private sector in closing gaps in implementation of the 2030 Agenda and advancing UHC.
Amy Boldosser-Boesch, CSEM Secretariat, highlighted the importance of engaging communities in shaping UHC services and financing through social participation processes, which all partners committed to through the Political Declarations of the High-Level Meetings on UHC. Amy also shared how UHC2030 collaborated with youth groups, Parliamentarians, and CSOs around the world in advocating for specific commitments to reducing out of pocket costs that force people to choose between paying for food, shelter, education, or quality healthcare.
Together, the UHC2030 panelists emphasized the necessity of breaking down institutional silos and working toward a unified vision of #HealthForAll. Their participation underscored that UHC cannot be achieved by the health sector alone—it requires coordinated action across finance, education, labor, and social protection.
The Path Forward: Collaborative Action for Health Equity
The discussions at the ECOSOC Partnership Forum reaffirmed that achieving UHC is not just a health sector issue—it is a global development imperative. Addressing financial challenges, investing in localized solutions, and fostering partnerships across sectors are all critical steps toward making quality healthcare accessible for everyone.
As we move forward, it is essential to build on these conversations and ensure that collaboration translates into concrete actions. Stronger partnerships across sectors will help create resilient health systems that are inclusive, equitable, and capable of providing affordable healthcare to all by 2030.
Stay engaged in the UHC movement and continue advocating for inclusive health policies. Together, we can make UHC a reality.
Blog published by Laura Philidor, Advocacy and Communications, CSEM for UHC2030, WACI Health
