The case for universal health coverage (UHC) is clear. UHC ensures all people, everywhere, can get the quality health services they need without financial hardship. It is key to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals and coping with the interlocking health, humanitarian and climate crises our world faces.
With elections taking place in over 70 countries in 2024, this is a pivotal moment to ensure your future leaders keep health high on their political agendas and understand the importance of taking urgent and meaningful action towards health for all.
To learn more about getting UHC on the ballot, check out UHC2030’s comprehensive election advocacy guide here
Writing to your decision makers and government officials is an effective way to help accelerate action on UHC and share our views with those who make daily decisions on our lives. We have the power and responsibility to influence them and take an active role in shaping our country and communities.
If you are emailing your letter, please CC campaign@uhcday.org so we can count your efforts in our global advocacy campaign! If you sending your letter by mail, let us know at campaign@uhcday.org.
See the detailed instructions below to help you prepare and send your letter.
Use the link here to download the UHC Day Advocacy Letter template in Microsoft Word format. The letter is currently available in English. Additional languages will be added in the coming days.
You can send letters to any government officials who make decisions about health in your country. In most countries, parliamentarians are especially critical to decision making on UHC, especially budgetary decisions. We encourage you to target a member of parliament or your head of state to urge action on UHC at the highest levels of government.
If your country does not have a parliamentary structure, you can write to any policymaker who serves on a health-related committee or to your government’s health ministry .
Identify a specific person and obtain their office’s email address (this information should be publicly available). For members of parliament, you can use the Inter-Parliamentary Union database to search for members of parliament based on country and chamber.
An effective letter is both factual and personal. To make the biggest impact, ensure your letter shows your knowledge of health systems but also states how this issue affects your life.
Don’t forget to edit your letter before sending it. Double-check the facts and statistics you used and make sure they’re up to date and from reliable sources. The, if possible, have a friend, teacher, or family member read your letter and provide feedback.
You can either print out the letter and mail it to your representative or download the letter and send it via email. If possible, we encourage you to email your letter to ensure a quick delivery.
If you’re sending the letter via email, be sure to state your intention clearly in the email subject line and paste the content of your letter into the email body. Then CC campaign@uhcday.org so that we can count your efforts in our global advocacy campaign. You’re all done!
Encourage others to join the effort by amplifying your call on social media and across your networks. Suggested social copy is below. You can add campaign hashtags as you’d like:
Suggested social content:
Half of the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services. This is a human rights violation.
This #UHCDay, I’m writing to my decision makers for urgent action on #UHC. Join me in sending a letter and make your voice heard: https://universalhealthcoverageday.org/advocacy-letter/
To achieve #HealthForAll by 2030, leaders must invest in strong health systems, increase public health financing and lower costs. Particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable.
Join me in sending a letter to decision makers for urgent action on #UHC: https://universalhealthcoverageday.org/advocacy-letter/
Climate change is one of the biggest threats to human health. It increases the risk of:
– Infectious diseases
– Natural disasters
– Food insecurity
Join me in writing to decision makers for urgent action on #UHC to protect everyone, everywhere: https://universalhealthcoverageday.org/advocacy-letter/
