Recent Lessons from the Literature on Advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through Health Systems Strengthening

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a global priority, as essential quality services are still not available or used by many of the poorest children, and Save the Children has taken a strong stance in support of UHC, being committed to build local and national systems and structures towards sustainability of health services reaching every last child, including the most deprived and marginalized.

This literature scan presents SCI, members, and partners with a synthesis of recent literature on progress toward UHC, with an emphasis on policy and programmatic considerations. The review covers the definition of UHC, health services coverage, health financing, user fees and out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPs), and the role of the private sector. are provided and regrouped in an annex.

For health systems practitioners, UHC is not just one thing. It is an aspiration and it is multidimensional. Trade-offs on the path to UHC are numerous, and response to local needs and demands needs to remain central to the design. Different voices will emphasize a different dimension, but program and policy-makers need to deal with the intricacies of who is covered, by what services, and how it is financed over time. Progress toward UHC will demand careful steps in assessing options, and in developing adaptive responses through rigorous evaluation.