Equity, Health, Health Policy and Human Development

Equity in health and access to health care are central themes in health system stewardship. Addressing inequity requires a comprehensive approach and action on wider social determinants on health. Health inequities are increasingly becoming a major performance issue for ministries of health and governments and feature more prominently in the policy and political discourse in Member States in the African Region. Although economic benefits and scientific advances have increased the length and quality of life for many, still close to 50 percent of the African Region are living in poverty.

Harsh economic and social conditions have nurtured the growth of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Health inequities have increased overall, particularly between population groups living in the same country. These patterns of differential health opportunity between population groups affect both middle and lower income countries alike. This is not due only to poverty. These differences in health follow a strong social gradient, which reflect an individual or population group’s position in society and different access to and security of resources such as education, employment and housing, as well as different levels of participation in civic society and control over life.

Addressing inequity requires a comprehensive approach and action on wider social determinants of health, with the goals of reducing the overall gap in health opportunity in a country, and tackling the social gradient in health across the whole population.

Through the work on health policy and equity, ETR works with other programmes in the Regional Office and in countries to address the underlying social and economic determinants of health through policies and programmes that enhance health equity and integrate pro-poor, gender-responsive, and human rights-based approaches.