World Health Day was celebrated on Monday, 7 April, a date that marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. This month is an opportunity to reflect on the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3), which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages - but there are significant challenges.
According to the UN, progress has slowed over the last 10 years in areas such as maternal mortality, premature deaths from major noncommunicable diseases, and access to essential healthcare. Inequalities persist, exacerbated by the climate crisis. To meet SDG3 targets by 2030, substantial investment and focus are needed – and cooperatives are uniquely positioned to contribute. This is demonstrated by the most recent ICA SDG Policy Brief, showcasing the impact of cooperatives in the area of health through data and case study examples.
“Health cooperatives are grounded in community values and our sense of local ownership, which allows us to tailor healthcare to the specific needs of the populations we serve,” says Dr Carlos Zarco, President, International Health Cooperative Organisation (IHCO), a sectoral organisation of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). “This proximity to the community allows health cooperatives to extend our services to marginalised and underserved areas, ensuring equitable access to care and medicines where other public or private actors might not be able to match.
“Furthermore, by operating under the principles of member participation and democratic governance, health cooperatives promote a people-centred approach to healthcare, which prioritises the wellbeing of people and communities over profit. In this way, we strengthen health systems and directly contribute to a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable healthcare model.”
Dr Zarco sees health cooperatives contributing to building a better world by “creating stronger, healthier communities and preserving resources – financial, human, and infrastructural” within them.
“We facilitate the collective management of healthcare, promoting a sense of shared responsibility and local control,” he adds. “This approach improves health outcomes and fosters economic stability and social cohesion.
“On a larger scale, health cooperatives contribute to the creation of a new paradigm for healthcare, based on equity and democracy. We challenge conventional, profit-driven systems, demonstrating that high-quality healthcare can be accessible and community-based. The strength of the cooperative movement lies in its global reach and adaptability, and health cooperatives make a significant difference in both developed and developing regions. There is strong evidence that health cooperatives are already generating tangible positive impacts for millions of people around the world.”
IHCO views the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 as a strategic opportunity to highlight the important role that health cooperatives play in advancing global health and social wellbeing.
“Our ambition is to use this milestone to promote greater recognition of health cooperatives as strategic allies of health authorities and governments,” says Dr Zarco. “Around the world, these cooperatives contribute to strengthening national health systems through effective public-private partnerships, expanding access to health care, especially in underserved areas, and reinforcing the principles of universality and sustainability.
“Furthermore, we seek to strengthen partnerships with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the United Nations to ensure that cooperatives participate in discussions about the future of global health. Ultimately, our ambition is to increase the visibility of the cooperative health movement as an effective tool to contribute to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
“Without health, there is nothing. If we want to succeed in other SDGs, we need first good health.”
