Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2022 is a joint publication by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It serves as an overview of health status, determinants, healthcare resources, utilization, expenditure, financing, and quality across 27 Asia-Pacific countries and territories.
Key Findings:
COVID-19 Impact: The pandemic significantly impacted health systems and economies globally, leading to over 1 million deaths and substantial job losses. It underscored the need for health system resilience and preparedness.
Challenges: Issues like limited access to essential health care services, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women in low-income households and rural areas, and high out-of-pocket health spending remained critical.
Universal Health Coverage: Universal health coverage is crucial for maintaining health services during crises, ensuring that all people can access quality health services without financial hardship.
Future Priorities: Key priorities moving forward include investing in innovative healthcare delivery models, adopting digital health interventions, promoting healthy environments and lifestyles to combat age-related diseases, and ensuring multidisciplinary, cross-sectorial approaches to address health challenges.
Resilient Health Systems: Ensuring greater resilience and preparedness to health shocks and the necessary investment for these goals should be a central part of governments' commitments to sustainable social and economic development.
Agenda for Just Societies: Achieving quality and accessible healthcare for all, without financial hardship, is vital for overall economic and social development, leading to healthier, more resilient, and cohesive societies.
The report calls for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to health policy, emphasizing the interconnectedness of health with social, economic, and cultural aspects.