The Constitution of many countries mandates every citizen’s right to have basic healthcare services and holds the responsibility of ensuring access to quality health services. National Health Policies across different countries are formulated based on the norms, structure, and functions of their respective tiers of government — federal, provincial, and local. Serving the ethos of these health policies, the various government tiers operate with cooperation, coordination, and coexistence to develop robust health systems, addressing social inequalities and gaps in quality health care delivery.
The health workforce and institutions play a central role in achieving health equity within the health system. Various tiers of governments and health institutions must be held socially accountable to address the Sustainable Development Goal 2030 concerning Good Health and Well-Being. In Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), there is a lack of action and collaboration towards integrating Health for All to achieve Health for All. Many medical schools and health institutions do not include curriculum training on social medicine and global health. While Global Health has emerged as a field in the US and Europe, there are limited partnerships between institutions in LMICs. Promoting collaboration and resource sharing between Global North and Global South countries is crucial. A significant issue identified is the lack of health system innovation and non-scientific health practices in LMICs. Evidence-based policies and context-appropriate health systems are urgently needed. While taking recommendations from the Global North, it is equally important to foster South-South collaboration to exchange innovations in health systems. There have been few partnerships highlighting health systems between LMICs.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda and propelled by the spirit of Universal Health Coverage, Health Equity Corps evokes the social accountability of health professionals and institutions to reduce inequalities in healthcare. Incorporating the essence of inter-sectorial collaboration, we call upon governmental, non-governmental, and philanthropic organizations and professionals worldwide to join hands in our mission of making healthcare accessible to underserved communities globally.
HEC Center for Global Health, incubated by scholars of Harvard Medical School, collaborates with ministries, municipal offices, research institutions, medical universities, and development partners. We aim to empower health professionals and advance models of primary care, community health, and national and local health policies for both rural and urban municipalities, ultimately working towards attending health equity and driving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.