Opinion: Put communities at the center of universal health coverage

The Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, adopted recently at the United Nations General Assembly, could set the stage for a fairer world in which health is viewed as a human right and not as a commodity. On paper, we have a compact that enshrines the idea of universality. At the local, state, and country levels it will mean healthier populations and greater global health equity.

Moving from declarations to reality won’t be easy. Lessons from the response to the AIDS epidemic over the past four decades and the evolving response to the global emergency around noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) clearly demonstrate that community engagement and human rights must be front and center.

Consider this: Gay men