Universal health coverage (UHC) has long been a global health priority, reaffirmed in multiple international commitments since 2015. Yet despite political momentum, progress has stalled, with 4.5 billion people still lacking access to essential health services and financial protection against medical costs worsening. These setbacks highlight the persistent challenge of translating ambitious policy goals into meaningful improvements for poor and marginalised populations—the very groups UHC is meant to serve.
This BMJ Global Health supplement, No shortcuts to universal health coverage: lessons from accountability initiatives, edited by Kumanan Rasanathan, Rebecca Mak and Kalipso Chalkidou, examines how accountability mechanisms can bridge the gap between coverage on paper and access in practice. Drawing on evidence from seven countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America, the supplement explores both government-led and civil society initiatives. It offers key lessons on their strengths, limitations, and implications for achieving equitable progress toward UHC.