The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a position paper on building health systems resilience towards UHC and health security during COVID-19 and beyond to reinforce the urgent need for renewed and heightened national and global commitment to make countries better prepared and health systems resilient against all forms of public health threats for sustained progress towards both universal health coverage (UHC) and health security.

WHO’s 7 policy recommendations on building resilient health systems based on primary health care are-

1. Leverage the current response to strengthen both pandemic preparedness and health systems
2. Invest in essential public health functions including those needed for all-hazards emergency risk management
3. Build a strong primary health care foundation
4. Invest in institutionalized mechanisms for whole-of-society engagement
5. Create and promote enabling environments for research, innovation and learning
6. Increase domestic and global investment in health system foundations and all-hazards emergency risk management
7. Address pre-existing inequities and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on marginalized and vulnerable populations

The WHO position paper comes at a crucial time to provide leaders and policymakers with recommendations on positioning health within the wider discussions on socioeconomic recovery and transformation.