During this year’s Spring Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C., UNITE and UHC2030  co-hosted a high-level session on Political Leadership for Financial Protection.

The event brought together health financing experts from the Global Financing Facility (GFF)  and the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside parliamentarians from around the world. The session focused on identifying actionable strategies to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by strengthening financial protection.

Financial Protection means that people are not forced to delay or forgo care due to costs, and that any out-of-pocket (OOP) payments they make do not cause financial distress. While no country can sustainably offer all health services free of charge, robust financial protection mechanisms help ensure that no one must choose between healthcare and basic needs like food, housing, or education. In the absence of such protection, individuals may be forced to deplete life savings, sell assets, or go into debt – often with long-term consequences for themselves and their families.

Parliamentarians play a vital role in this agenda. Through legislation and budget oversight, they can shape policies that shield people from health-related poverty and build more equitable health systems. 

We invite you to complete this short questionnaire today!

NOTE: Responses are open to both Former and Current Members of Parliament. All responses will be kept strictly confidential and used solely for the purpose of informing this initiative. 
🔗 Key Resource: The Path Towards Universal Health Coverage: Handbook for Parliamentarians No. 35 
👉 See Chapter 4.2.2 – “Improve Financial Protection in Health”