Health Equity promotes the basic right of all people to accessible, affordable and quality essential health care. Inequities exist across different countries however, as well as between rich and poor people, between different racial and ethnic groups, between urban and rural dwellers, and between men and women. The consequences are most severe for people living in poverty and people who do not have a way to demand their health rights.

Efforts to promote greater equity in health require political leadership to prioritize the needs of the poor in policy and in practice; funding that focuses on meeting the basic needs of the poorest citizens; and ensuring vulnerable groups have equitable access to affordable and high quality essential health care.