Tracking universal health coverage: 2025 global monitoring report
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World Health Organization
Abstract
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xix, 82 p.
This global monitoring report 2025 provides a comprehensive assessment of progress towards universal health coverage (UHC), defined as access to quality health services without financial hardship. It presents the first round of global, regional and country-level analyses based on revised Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 3.8.1 and 3.8.2, which measure service coverage through the UHC service coverage index (SCI) and financial hardship related to out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending. Drawing on data from 2000 onwards, the report examines trends, inequalities and methodological changes in monitoring UHC. Findings indicate that, although progress has been made in expanding service coverage and reducing financial hardship, gains have slowed during the SDG period and remain uneven across and within countries. Large gaps persist, with billions lacking access to essential services and many experiencing financial strain, particularly among poorer and vulnerable populations. Progress has been driven mainly by improvements in infectious disease control, while advances in noncommunicable diseases have lagged. The report highlights structural challenges, including high reliance on OOP spending, especially for medicines, and emphasizes the need for strengthened public financing, primary health care and multisectoral approaches to accelerate equitable progress towards UHC.
This global monitoring report 2025 provides a comprehensive assessment of progress towards universal health coverage (UHC), defined as access to quality health services without financial hardship. It presents the first round of global, regional and country-level analyses based on revised Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators 3.8.1 and 3.8.2, which measure service coverage through the UHC service coverage index (SCI) and financial hardship related to out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending. Drawing on data from 2000 onwards, the report examines trends, inequalities and methodological changes in monitoring UHC. Findings indicate that, although progress has been made in expanding service coverage and reducing financial hardship, gains have slowed during the SDG period and remain uneven across and within countries. Large gaps persist, with billions lacking access to essential services and many experiencing financial strain, particularly among poorer and vulnerable populations. Progress has been driven mainly by improvements in infectious disease control, while advances in noncommunicable diseases have lagged. The report highlights structural challenges, including high reliance on OOP spending, especially for medicines, and emphasizes the need for strengthened public financing, primary health care and multisectoral approaches to accelerate equitable progress towards UHC.
Keywords
Universal Health Insurance, Delivery of Health Care, Health Services Accessibility, Healthcare Financing, Health Expenditures, Global Health, Health Equity, Socioeconomic Factors, Financial Stress, Demography, Poverty, Health Status Indicators, Communicable Diseases, Program Evaluation, Sustainable Development, statistics and numerical data, standards, methods