Universal Health Coverage

Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to ensure that everyone, particularly the most vulnerable populations, has access to quality health services without experiencing financial hardship.

Despite decades of progress, coverage has stagnated since 2015. Approximately half of the world’s population—4.5 billion people—lacks essential health services, and 2 billion people face severe financial hardship due to healthcare spending. Fewer than one-third of countries have improved both service coverage and financial protection over the past two decades.

Child mortality rates for children under five have declined by 52% since 2000, thanks to life-saving interventions; however, progress is slowing. In 2023, 4.8 million children died before reaching age five, including 2.3 million newborns. Maternal deaths have fallen by 40% since 2000, but 260,000 women still died from pregnancy-related causes in 2023.

Aging populations and non-communicable diseases are expected to continue straining health systems. Additionally, climate change, pandemics, and conflict pose risks that could reverse progress. Achieving UHC requires closing gaps in access and financial protection, particularly for women, children, adolescents, and marginalized groups.

Long-term solutions to building resilient economies require the creation of quality jobs. The region's labor market faces the challenge of transforming itself in the face of the development of new technologies, in addition to other challenges such as low productivity, deficiencies in education, and gaps in workers' skills.

The World Bank works to strengthen the creation of quality jobs, especially for the most hard-to-reach groups, such as women and youth. According to recent data, the labor force participation rate for women in the region is 68%, compared to 93% for men.

For youth, one of the main challenges to accessing better jobs is linked to gaps in education and skills. According to the latest results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), implemented by the OECD – three out of four 15-year-olds do not reach basic level in mathematics and one out of two is below the expected average in reading. On average, 15-year-old students in the region are five years behind an average student in OECD countries. Recovery is complex but possible and should be addressed immediately.

Connectivity is critical to laying the foundation for a prosperous and resilient future. Currently, a lack of digital infrastructure means that around 17 million workers cannot access the benefits of the latest technologies to improve their job prospects and raise wages.

There is also an urgent need to improve countries' resilience to climate events that have already inflicted substantial economic and social losses.

The World Bank’s UHC strategy aims to expand quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030.

Key actions include:

Reorienting health systems toward primary health care, emphasizing equity, person-centered care, and integrated services.

Strengthening service delivery and financing by building resilient systems that can withstand pandemics and climate shocks, while also expanding services to hard-to-reach communities. This involves upskilling the health workforce, investing in digital health information systems, and ensuring the availability of affordable medicines.

Expanding services to meet demographic and epidemiological transitions, including maternal and child health, nutrition, gender equity, non-communicable diseases, mental health, and long-term care.

Engaging finance and health ministries, as well as other sectors, by using data, policy dialogue, and innovative financing—such as universal health insurance schemes and results-based financing—to guide reforms.

Partnerships play a crucial role: the Global Financing Facility and the Pandemic Fund aim to raise funds to end preventable deaths. The World Bank collaborates with the Global Fund, Gavi, and WHOto streamline investments.

The International Finance Corporation mobilizes private investment to address underinvestment and the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Cross-sectoral initiatives, such as the Human Capital Project, connect health with education, job opportunities, and social services.

Long-term solutions to building resilient economies require the creation of quality jobs. The region's labor market faces the challenge of transforming itself in the face of the development of new technologies, in addition to other challenges such as low productivity, deficiencies in education, and gaps in workers' skills.

The World Bank works to strengthen the creation of quality jobs, especially for the most hard-to-reach groups, such as women and youth. According to recent data, the labor force participation rate for women in the region is 68%, compared to 93% for men.

For youth, one of the main challenges to accessing better jobs is linked to gaps in education and skills. According to the latest results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), implemented by the OECD – three out of four 15-year-olds do not reach basic level in mathematics and one out of two is below the expected average in reading. On average, 15-year-old students in the region are five years behind an average student in OECD countries. Recovery is complex but possible and should be addressed immediately.

Connectivity is critical to laying the foundation for a prosperous and resilient future. Currently, a lack of digital infrastructure means that around 17 million workers cannot access the benefits of the latest technologies to improve their job prospects and raise wages.

There is also an urgent need to improve countries' resilience to climate events that have already inflicted substantial economic and social losses.

• Global Financing Facility
• Pandemic Fund
• The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
• World Health Organization
• Joint Learning Network for UHC