Discover What The Health For All Campaign Means to You, Your Patients, And The World At Large
Pegasus is a licensed Home Care Organization and a Joint Commission Accredited Home Health Care organization. Our clients come from all walks of life and backgrounds. We practice diversity, equity, and inclusiveness when hiring the professionals who assist them.
Pegasus in-home care nurses in Valley Village and elsewhere are dedicated to improving the quality of life for others. Their assistance helps individuals meet their challenges. Career home health care nurses understand what health for all means to nurses and their patients.
Health For All Means That Every Individual Has Equal Access To Healthcare
Since 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen a World Health Day. April 7, 2023, was this year’s date, but efforts continue all year. The purpose is to highlight global health concerns.
The theme for the 2023 campaign is Health For All. Health providers are encouraged to participate. You can download posters and information to share with your patients and on your social media accounts.
Health for all means that everyone in every part of every country has equal access to healthcare. Accomplishing that requires improving a multitude of factors. Many of these don’t seem to be health-related at first glance but are critical to the availability of medical care.
These can include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Food shortages/lack of nutritious food
- Inadequate housing
- Lack of education
- Poor sanitation
- Poverty
- Unemployment
More direct hindrances to health for all include a lack of trained medical professionals, equipment, and medicines.
Part of providing health for all is universal health coverage (UHC). WHO describes UHC as all people having access to quality healthcare. That includes the services “they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.”
UHC encompasses teaching individuals how to achieve and maintain their health. They should receive disease prevention information. When needed, treatment, rehabilitation, and end-of-life care should be available.
Progress on UHC slowed during the pandemic, but nations worldwide continue to reduce healthcare inequalities. WHO recommends making primary health care (PHC) available worldwide. That can provide the services people need to improve life expectancy.
Good Health Is More Than Physical Well-Being
People often think of good health as physical well-being. It is, however, far more than that. WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. . ..”
They add that “A healthful lifestyle provides the means to lead a full life with meaning and purpose.” That includes financial, mental, and spiritual, as well as physical, well-being. Access to comprehensive health care enables individuals to live up to their potential.
It may be hard to believe, but studies indicate that life expectancy in the United States is declining. Although COVID-19 certainly took a massive toll, the decline began before then. That’s due in part to the lack of healthcare for disenfranchised individuals.
Inadequate health care in one nation affects all countries. Leaders must implement disease prevention measures. They also need to consider environmental conditions and racial disparities.
Health issues for a nation’s citizenry “weakens the economy and national security.” Healthcare costs skyrocket. Solutions require global long-range planning.
Increasing Health Equity Is A CDC Goal
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is striving to improve U.S. health equity. They define health equity as providing everyone with a fair and just opportunity for healthcare. They are implementing new strategies and action plans to reduce disparities and provide health equality for all citizens.
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals need access to training and opportunities to obtain relevant credentials. Patients must have access to healthcare professionals, and even with insurance, many require financial help to obtain adequate medical care. Additionally, professionals and patients need fully staffed hospitals, facilities, equipment, and lifesaving medications.
It’s probably true that you and your patients now have everything necessary for good health care. But there are individuals on your street, in your city, and in your country who lack equal access. Globally, professionals and patients alike are not able to provide or receive adequate healthcare.
Inadequate Health Care Affects Individuals And Global Prosperity
A lack of health for all means that a nation experiences:
- Crippling costs of healthcare for everyone
- High rates of poverty
- Inability to prevent or treat infectious diseases
- Increased rates of substance abuse
- Loss of productivity and revenue
- Violence and crime due to citizens angry at the disparities
More than just individuals are impacted. The lack of adequate health care “can affect their children and grandchildren, both psychologically and physically.” It also affects a nation’s overall prosperity.
Join The Pegasus Team And Work Where Your Skills Are Appreciated
Pegasus in-home nurses in Valley Village and our other locations work one-on-one with patients. They personalize their services to meet each individual’s needs. Our career home health care nurses are a vital part of providing health for all.
Pegasus is an equal-opportunity organization. We hire nurses with different levels of experience and expertise. All receive support and respect from our staff and their colleagues.