In the time of globalization and active international cooperation, concerns about human health status around the globe have become a pertinent issue. Specifically created United Nations’ agency called the World Health Organization (WHO) is in charge of monitoring health and health care related issues around the globe through local departments. Moreover, the organization advocates for equality in health, promoting health, curing diseases, improving health care infrastructure, and supplying human resources to medical systems worldwide. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland; the WHO operates as the world’s safeguard of well-being and health. The mission of the World Health Organization is to “advocate and catalyze global and country actions to resolve the human resources for a health crisis, to support the achievement of the health-related millennium development goals and health for all” (“Alliance vision and mission,” 2021, para. 2). The purpose of the organization is to ensure that every person in any place in the world has better health, which is achieved through the improvement of funding, resource allocation, infrastructure enhancement, professional advancement, and other efforts (“WHO brochure,” 2021). Currently, the organization’s biggest challenges are communicable diseases, the health care burden of COVID-19, immunization, and universal coverage.
From the perspective of a leader in a medical community who has an influence on others and is entitled to make important health care related decisions, I believe that having universal health care is a basic human right. The WHO advocates for universal health coverage and reinforces efforts aimed at this issue on a regular basis. Indeed, it is a vital tool that is capable of overcoming inequality and disparities in access to health care and the overall health status of people around the world.
From the ethical perspective, all human beings are entitled to lead a healthy and happy life, which should not be restricted by unfavorable state circumstances, economic problems, poverty, race, or other factors. Universal health care, from this point of view, is a unique way to eliminate disparities and ensure that the value of the life of any person on the planet is equal. It might be reiterated with reference to duty-based, which holds that “our actions should be universal, which means that everyone would act the same way with the same set of circumstances” (Fremgen, 2019, p. 11). Although the economic factor is a challenge to universal health care, global efforts should be made to aid the disadvantaged.
The most important roles and responsibilities that a medical leader should have in relation to universal health are those addressing patients’ needs first. Such leaders are entitled to provide timely care, guide multidisciplinary teams in a systematic and efficient way, and ensure equality of access to care and its high quality. Cultural competence is essential in the context of universal health care promotion. It is a cornerstone of combating disparities and promoting equal standards of care to all people regardless of their income, education, background, or other factors. Transformational leadership is the style that best fits the context of universal health care implementation and enhancement. Through this approach to working with teams, a leader is capable of being a part of the process and guide the professionals in the direction that prioritizes ethical standards of equality and duty-centricity. In such a manner, the vision can be transformed, and a fundamental change in health care is likely to occur.
References
Alliance vision and mission. (2021). Web.
Fremgen, B. F. (2019). Medical law and ethics (6th ed.). Pearson.
WHO brochure. (2021).