While Lesotho is making strides to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by opening clinics and health posts, the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union (EU) have signed a joint statement to accelerate progress on health.
One recent initiative was the opening of Tlaling Health Post in October this year that eventually ended community’s woes over the lack of health services in their area that had them journeying for three days to access health services at Lithipeng Health Centre which was by far the nearest in proximity. It is situated in the Constituency of Qalabane, deep in the rurals of Mohale’s Hoek district where there is virtually no infrastructure development except for the dirt road stretching to the villages from the Main South 1 road.
The health post that is envisaged to elevate to the status of a clinic serves about four villages whose residents previously had to access health services at Lithipeng and forms part of the 50 targeted health posts in the hard to reach areas across the country in achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
On the occasion of the 70th anniversaries of WHO and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Tedros Adhanom emphasised that both WHO’s Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights assert that health is a human right, rather than a privilege for those who can afford it hence raised the need to remember that the right to health is not a given as thus it takes renewed political commitment and leadership in every generation.
He said in a press statement issued by WHO that the right to health has been a platform for major health improvements in the past 70 years. He was quoted as saying that globally, life expectancy has increased by 25 years since smallpox has been eradicated and polio on the brink.
He however warned of the rise of new health threats and the need for unrelenting political commitment to achieve UHC and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) including goal number 3, related to healthy lives and well-being at all ages.
The statement further states that Dr Tedros commended the fruitful cooperation between the parties particularly in the fields of antimicrobial resistance, strengthening health systems and preparedness for outbreaks of communicable diseases in developing countries.
 
Source: LENA 28/11/2018