Going Public: The Unmaking and Remaking of Universal Healthcare

Corporate players play a significant role in universal health coverage ideologies and implementation, and social innovation-driven approaches to expanding primary care in low-income settings are crucial. This Element explores the evolving meanings of universal health/healthcare in global health politics and policy, the intertwining of corporate interests and exigencies, and the impact of corporatization on publicly financed and delivered primary healthcare.

Format: Hardback
Length: 102 pages
Publication date: 18 January 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Universal health coverage (UHC) is a crucial concept that emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all individuals have access to quality healthcare services. It is a fundamental human right that has been recognized by various international agreements and organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The attainment of UHC requires the involvement of corporate players, as they play a significant role in shaping healthcare policies, implementing healthcare systems, and providing healthcare services.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the role of corporate players in universal health coverage ideologies and implementation. Corporate interests often intersect with global health politics and policy, leading to the prioritization of commercial goals over public health needs. This has resulted in the commodification of healthcare, with private companies profiting from the provision of healthcare services.

However, there are also social innovation-driven approaches to expanding primary care in low-income settings. These approaches aim to address the healthcare needs of marginalized communities and provide affordable and accessible healthcare services. Social innovation involves the use of innovative technologies, business models, and social networks to create sustainable solutions to social problems.

One example of a social innovation targeting niche markets for lower-cost services in the Majority World is the use of mobile health clinics. Mobile health clinics are vehicles equipped with medical equipment and staffed by healthcare professionals who travel to remote areas to provide healthcare services to individuals who cannot access traditional healthcare facilities. These clinics have been successful in providing healthcare services to marginalized communities in countries such as Kenya, India, and Bangladesh.

Another example of a social innovation is the use of community health workers (CHWs). CHWs are individuals who are trained to provide basic healthcare services to their communities, including health education, preventive care, and basic treatment of illnesses. They are often deployed in low-income settings where there is a lack of healthcare professionals. CHWs have been successful in reducing healthcare costs and improving healthcare outcomes in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and the United States.

In contrast to these social innovation-driven approaches, there are also present-day examples of publicly financed and delivered primary healthcare (PHC). PHC is a healthcare system that is funded and delivered by the government, with the aim of providing universal access to healthcare services. However, corporatization of PHC has led to the privatization of healthcare services, with private companies profiting from the provision of healthcare services.

Corporatization of PHC has several negative consequences. Firstly, it leads to the commodification of healthcare services, with private companies prioritizing profits over patient care. This can result in inferior care, as private companies may cut costs by reducing the quality of healthcare services or by providing substandard healthcare services. Secondly, corporatization of PHC can lead to the privatization of healthcare resources, with private companies gaining control over healthcare facilities and resources. This can result in the exclusion of marginalized communities from healthcare services, as they may not have access to private healthcare facilities.

Thirdly, corporatization of PHC can lead to the displacement of healthcare workers. As private companies gain control of healthcare facilities, they may replace healthcare workers with lower-paid employees, who may not have the same level of training and expertise. This can result in a reduction in the quality of healthcare services and a loss of job security for healthcare workers.

In conclusion, corporate players play a significant role in universal health coverage ideologies and implementation. However, the commodification of healthcare and the privatization of healthcare services have led to the prioritization of commercial goals over public health needs. Social innovation-driven approaches to expanding primary care in low-income settings offer a promising alternative to corporatization of PHC. These approaches involve the use of innovative technologies, business models, and social networks to create sustainable solutions to social problems. By prioritizing patient care and community health, social innovation-driven approaches can help to ensure that all individuals have access to quality healthcare services, regardless of their income or social status.

ISBN-13: 9781009454094