Investing in universal health coverage (UHC) improves equity and social cohesion. It also benefits the national economy by improving health and well-being, increasing workforce participation and productivity, and building resilience in individuals, families and communities. 

In adopting the Sustainable Development Agenda in 2015, heads of state and governments from every country in the world committed to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for everyone. They reiterated these commitments in the political declarations adopted during the 2019 and 2023 high level meetings on universal health coverage. And yet 4.5 billion people still do not have access to essential health services. What’s more, over the last 20 years, financial protection has progressively deteriorated, with 2 billion people experiencing financial hardship and 1.3 billion people pushed into poverty due to health spending.

This must change! This UHC Day we are calling on governments to invest in health for all and protect people – particularly the most vulnerable among us – from impoverishing health spending.