Cardiac rehabilitation guidelines informing Universal Health Coverage

In 1948 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared health a fundamental human right.1 Actualising this right, United Nation member states have agreed to achieve ‘Universal Health Coverage (UHC)’ by 2030. UHC aims to overcome poverty due to healthcare costs and make essential services accessible to all. WHO defines UHC as ‘People and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship’.1 UHC is applicable not only to lower middle-income countries (LMICs), where healthcare is less developed, but to higher-income countries as well. Health systems, regardless of economic development, face significant challenges to achieving UHC. Populations are rapidly aging, coupled with a shift from acute to chronic disease care needs. Chronic, unlike acute episodic, care requires sustained long-term management and many health systems are having to adapt to remain effective and sustainable. With age, the accumulation of chronic disease and physical decline also leads to a loss in functional status. Rehabilitative interventions can be effective in maintaining independence for longer by reducing the disabling effects of disease and physical decline. As such, rehabilitation is an essential component of UHC, but is frequently not available due to a lack of prioritisation and resources. To improve the design and implementation of rehabilitation services WHO sought to develop a new resource for policymakers and healthcare providers. This resource contains information on rehabilitation interventions, including cardiac rehabilitation – a rehabilitative programme for those with cardiovascular disease.