Strategy for universal access to health and universal health coverage and the contribution of the International Nursing Networks1

Last October 2014, the 53rd Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization, including the ministers of health or their representatives, of all countries in the Americas, approved Resolution CP53.14 about the “Strategy for universal access to health and universal health coverage”(1). Health coverage is defined as “the capacity of the health system to serve the needs of the population, including the availability of infrastructure, human resources, health technologies (including medicines) and financing. Universal access is defined as the absence of geographical, economic, sociocultural, organizational or gender barriers”(1). Universal access is achieved through the progressive elimination of the barriers that impede all people from using the integral health services, equitably established at the national level. The universal access to health and the universal health coverage are necessary to improve the health results and other fundamental objectives of the health systems, and are based on all people’s right to enjoy the maximum level of health, equality and solidarity. The universal health coverage strategy is being used to bring all program interests in health under an inclusive umbrella and explain its relation with the increased healthy life expectancy, according to the most recent discussions on the millennium development goals after 2015(2). The human resources in health are one of the central pillars for the Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. Nevertheless, profound disequilibria and gaps remain in the availability, distribution, composition, competency and productivity of the human resources in health, mainly in primary care. Eleven countries in the region face an absolute shortage of health professionals (less than 25 physicians, nurses and certified midwives per 10,000 inhabitants). To expand the effective and equitable health coverage, many countries in Latin America need to improve the training and distribution of human resources in health(3). Nursing plays a fundamental role for the countries to achieve the target of Universal Health Coverage and Universal Access to health services. Nurses and nursing personnel can act in health services at all care levels. The nurses’ education should prepare them to use and apply scientific knowledge, for the critical and reflexive analysis of their professional practice and context, and for the use of technical, scientific and interpersonal relationship skills in human care. Challenges remain internal and external to the profession. These challenges, some of which have historical backgrounds, are cultural, related to gender and knowledge and the tireless struggle for a professional space Strategy for universal access to health and universal health coverage and the contribution of the International Nursing Networks1