Abstract
Through providing free medical care to people in conflict settings, natural disasters, pandemics, and among people excluded from the health system, MSF teams see first-hand the challenges in accessing healthcare around the world. Our report draws on this practical experience, identifying specific barriers to accessing healthcare for the most vulnerable. We recognize the UNHLM on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a key flashpoint on commitments, but we are concerned that the current UHC agenda and most UHC country plans fall short of the ‘Leave no one behind’ principle.
MSF has previously raised concerns about the way UHC targets are developed, with a lack of attention to important barriers to accessing care. In this report we have collected illustrations of problems in getting access to care for the most vulnerable and people in the most critical health situations, such as those in emergencies and crises; migrants and refugees; and people forced to forego essential care because of financial barriers. Through these examples, augmented by the academic and grey literature on financing for UHC, we highlight the real-life and acute gaps between the declared aspirations of UHC and the lived experiences of millions of people. Without action on critical challenges for those without timely and affordable health care, the UHC agenda and country plans will miss their goal and diminish UHC’s credibility.
