In many ways, the world is healthier than ever before. The rate of extreme poverty is falling, standards of living are rising and overall life expectancy has significantly improved. This progress is not the full story, however. Health inequities — gaps between the health of different groups — have long characterized global health. The persistence of these inequities reflects an urgent need to close the health gaps that threaten our progress on health.
It is impossible to build a healthier future without addressing the gaps that hold us back. We believe that with the right strategies, partnerships and resources, it is possible to achieve zero health gaps. By this, we mean a world where no one is excluded from living a long, healthy life, where all have the opportunity to flourish and thrive and where no one by the lottery of their place of birth is consigned to living a less healthy life.
Read the full piece by Sandro Galea and Bechara Choucair here