Universal health coverage and NCD prevention and control

Universal health coverage (UHC) is a central part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the WHO Global NCD Action Plan. Achieving UHC means that all people would have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. UHC includes health protection and promotion, as well as disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, across the life-course.

There will always be trade-offs in allocating resources between each of the UHC dimensions (i.e. population covered, services provided, and direct costs to patients) (Figure 38.1). What levels of coverage can be provided for the population? Or should more services be covered by enlarging the benefits package to include other health services and if so which ones? Or should cost sharing and fees for patients be reduced?