Universal Health Coverage: A burning need for developing countries

Naznin Hossain,Sojib Bin Zaman

doi:10.15419/jmri.41

Abstract

The term of universal health coverage (UHC) are getting popularity among the countries who have not yet attained it. Majority of the developing countries are planning to implement the UHC to protect the vulnerable citizen who cannot afford to buy the health services. Poor people living in developing countries, where there is no UHC, are bereft of getting equal health care. They have to bear a significant amount of health cost in buying different services which often causes catastrophic expenditures for an individual and a family. If a country can provide UHC, it will be possible to bring all the citizens under provision of equal and quality care. However, implementation of a UHC is not an easy phenomenon, rather it needs proper design of a good health insurance system by integrating both the public and private health care providers. The influence of good governance and a sustainable health financing system is fundamental to establish UHC in the developing countries.

Highlights

Attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) is gaining popularity in the developing countries
World Health Assembly have started to urge the countries to achieve UHC which can be an established method of prepayment, social health insurance, and tax-based financing [2]
There is no specific timetable for achieving UHC as it can take many years to decade to implement a functioning health insurance system [3]

Summary

Introduction

Attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) is gaining popularity in the developing countries. This article aimed to discuss the role of governance and health financing for the proper functioning of UHC in developing countries. Most of the developed and middle-income countries have achieved UHC after following the model of General taxation system, Social insurance system, Private insurance system and Out-ofpocket model. Every country needs to ensure the integrated functioning of both public and private insurances in providing UHC. 1. National Health System/ Taxation system: Health care services are provided by medical doctors whose salaries are paid by the Government. The advantage of social insurance system is provision of a fair & equitable treatment. These systems often get overloaded, failing to meet the needs of majority patients

Private Insurance System

Out-of-Pocket Model

Findings

Conclusion