Abstract
Universal health coverage (UHC) means access for all to appropriate health services without undue financial hardship to individuals and families. This aspiration requires organizing national health financing in pre-paid, cross-subsidized risk pools that minimize out-of-pocket spending. National leadership and technical capability are essential as health spending grows. Most services can be provided by public and private institutions building on strong primary health care. UHC is the new frontier for social justice, a central priority for WHO, and one of the targets for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. While half the countries of the world have nearly attained UHC, much needs to be done in Africa and South Asia to accelerate progress, and continued efforts are needed everywhere to sustain UHC.
It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
Mahatma Gandhi
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Pablos-Méndez, A., Evans, T.G. (2023). Universal Health Coverage (UHC): From Global Consensus to National Action. In: Raviglione, M.C.B., Tediosi, F., Villa, S., Casamitjana, N., Plasència, A. (eds) Global Health Essentials. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33851-9_42
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