Universal health coverage

Universal health coverage means that all people have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It includes the full range of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Currently, at least half of the people in the world do not receive the health services they need. About 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year because of out-of-pocket spending on health. This must change.

WHO identifies achieving universal coverage as a strategic priority, with the goal of 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by 2023.

In countries with fragile health systems, we focus on technical assistance to build national institutions and service delivery to fill critical gaps in emergencies. In more robust health system settings, we drive public health impact towards health coverage for all through policy dialogue for the systems of the future and strategic support to improve performance.

WHO’s work is aligned with SDG target 3.8, which focuses on achieving universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

Approximately half the world’s population lacks access to such essential health services. Therefore, to achieve SDG target 3.8 of Universal Health Coverage for all by 2030, at least 1 billion more people will need to have access to essential health services in each five-year period between 2015 and 2030.