Going universal

The quest for universal health coverage (UHC) has gathered real momentumover the past decade, with countries on every continent now taking part. This iswelcome news, since a lack of universal coverage means that hundreds ofmillions of people around the world either do not get the health care servicesthey need, or they have to pay dearly for them, often falling into poverty as aresult. But the UHC agenda also poses an enormous challenge to policy makersacross the globe, and many countries are eager to learn from the experiencesof others as they undertake the long journey toward UHC.Going Universal: How 24 Developing Countries Are Implementing UniversalHealth Coverage Reforms from the Bottom Up draws on a wealth of newevidence to help enrich the global knowledge base on UHC. It provides asynthesis of UHC reform programs that placed a special focus on expandingcoverage in ways inclusive of the poor. The main objective was to documentand analyze their experiences based on a systematic data collection effort thatsought to capture in great detail how they have been implementing UHCreforms. The main chapters oer an in-depth analysis of how countries areaddressing five key challenges: covering people, expanding benefits, managingmoney, improving the supply of health care services, and strengtheningaccountability.The UHC reform programs described in the volume are new, massive, andtransformational. Most were launched during the past decade, and togetherthey now cover more than 2 billion people. But most importantly, the authorsfind that the programs are fundamentally changing the way health systemsoperate, offering the potential to achieve greater equity and better results forthe money spent. The authors identify key risks that lie ahead, as well as anemerging agenda that requires more country and global learning. Overall, thisbook offers those contributing to the achievement of UHC worldwide avaluable new resource to help chart a way forward.