Patient Solidarity Day 2014

Today is a Patient Solidarity Day 2014!

High quality, equitable and affordable healthcare; nothing more than a dream for so many people around the world. This needs to change. We have all been a patient at some point in our lives, or cared for one. It’s time to stand together in solidarity to call for truly patient-centred healthcare.
One voice. United. Universal.

Every person, every patient is equal and all have the right to access the healthcare they need, when they need it. We need to unite to ensure that all people, across the world, have fair and impartial access to quality healthcare.

The core principles of universal health overage include:

• Patient-centred: all stakeholders need to work together to ensure that health systems prioritise and meet the needs of patients, their families and carers.
• Accessibility: universal health coverage must ensure that all patients can access health services they require. 
• Equity: all people, regardless of age, gender, race, disease or condition, and economic circumstances must have equitable access to healthcare. 
• Quality: care must be of high quality at all levels and stages of healthcare. 
• Empowerment: patients must be actively involved in all levels of healthcare decision-making. 
• Collaboration: improved access to healthcare for all is only possible with the collaboration of all stakeholders, including patients.   
• Value of healthcare: it is essential to place priority on the value, not the cost of providing access to high quality, equitable and affordable healthcare for all. 

Accountability: health systems must be accountable to the patients they serve, as accountability and transparency are vital to ensuring safe, effective healthcare.