Unaffordable Health Costs? We're Sick of It!

Every December 12th, the world comes together for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day—a day of global solidarity and a stark reminder of the work still to be done. This year, our message cuts to the core of the crisis faced by millions. The 2025 campaign declares what people everywhere are feeling: “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!”

It’s a cry of frustration and a demand for change. From choosing between medicine and rent, to forgoing essential care for fear of bankrupting the family, the crushing weight of health expenses is a daily reality that undermines dignity, stability, and lives. Universal Health Coverage is the antidote, and building it is the urgent task of our time.

The Diagnosis is Clear: A System in Crisis

High out-of-pocket costs are more than a policy failure; they are a human crisis. They create a world where:

• Health becomes a luxury, accessible only to those who can pay.

• Preventable conditions escalate into emergencies because early care is unattainable.

• Entire families are trapped in medical debt, with poverty becoming a direct consequence of falling ill.

We are indeed sick of a paradigm where financial survival is pitted against physical survival. This year’s theme is a direct challenge to the status quo and a rallying cry for a new approach.

The Prescription: Bigger, Smarter, and Fairer Investments

Being “sick of it” means demanding concrete action. We stand with the global health community in calling on leaders to move beyond promises and make bigger, smarter, and fundamentally fairer investments in health.

1. Bigger Investments in Financial Protection: We need systems that pool resources and spread risk. This means strengthening public financing to eliminate catastrophic and impoverishing out-of-pocket payments. Health is not a market commodity; it is a social good.

2. Smarter Investments in Primary Care: The most affordable and effective path to health is through strong, locally accessible primary healthcare. Investing here prevents illness, manages conditions early, and is the first line of defence for communities. It’s the smartest health investment a country can make.

3. Focused Investment in Equity: “Health for All” means prioritising those pushed to the margins. Smarter investment targets resources to reach the poorest, the most vulnerable, and the hardest-to-reach communities first. Equity is the benchmark of success.

#HealthforAll: The Non-Negotiable Goal

At the heart of our frustration is a profound truth: #HealthforAll is a human right. The injustice of unaffordable care is a violation of this right. It is imperative to create societies that are not only healthier but also more equitable and resilient.

A system that bankrupts its citizens is fragile. A system that protects them is strong. UHC builds societal resilience against pandemics, economic shocks, and the health impacts of climate change. It is the foundation upon which safe, just, and productive societies are built.

Join the Movement for Change

This UHC Day, let’s channel our collective frustration into powerful advocacy. Share stories. Demand accountability. Support organisations pushing for change. Let’s tell leaders in every country that we are no longer willing to accept a world where a price tag hangs on a person’s well-being.

We are sick of unaffordable costs. We are ready for a world where health is protected, not priced out. The cure is Universal Health Coverage. Let’s make it a reality.

#UHCDay #HealthForAll #SickOfIt #HealthCostsHurt