The Primary Health Care (PHC) Strategy Group calls on member states during the United Nations (U.N.) High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage to:
1. Call for increased public health financing for country-determined essential health services and reduction of out-of-pocket payments, working towards their elimination. Ministries of Finance and Health must work closely on costing, allocating and tracking accountability of spending for PHC services.
2. Promote multisectorial solutions for health and well-being, recognizing the social determinants of health. Optimize resources and expertise of government, as well as private sector and civil society.
3. Request clear mechanisms for community participation in local health systems to foster transparency and accountability and give people a voice in health-related decision-making.
4. Foster inclusion, nondiscrimination and access to essential health services, addressing the most vulnerable populations first and ensuring no one is left behind.
5. Invest in the PHC workforce, including paid community health workers and a progressive career pathway for the frontline health workforce.
6. Improve quality of, access to and use of data to inform investments and improvements for people-centered PHC systems and health outcomes.
7. Promote equity in UHC and prioritize the most vulnerable populations by investing in a community-based PHC system that bridges geographic, cultural and financial barriers.