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. 2024 Sep 2:5:100191.
doi: 10.1016/j.dialog.2024.100191. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Measuring progress towards universal health coverage in 22 Middle East and North African countries

Ahmed Hamood Alshehari  1 , Abdulhakim Ali Al-Selwi  1 , Sergius Alex Agu  2 , Mohammed Amine Younes  2
Affiliations

Measuring progress towards universal health coverage in 22 Middle East and North African countries

Ahmed Hamood Alshehari et al. Dialogues Health. .

Abstract

Purpose: Monitoring progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) has become increasingly important, especially given the centrality of UHC in achieving the sustainable development goals. We sought to estimate the progress towards UHC in the 22 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries.

Methods: Employing the Joint World Bank and World Health Organization Framework for Monitoring UHC, we estimated the UHC index for MENA countries using both service coverage and financial protection indicators. We also explored the correlation between the UHC index with government expenditure/investment in health.

Results: The 2021 UHC index ranged from 48.2 (Somalia) to 90.3 (United Arab Emirates) with a mean, median, and standard deviation of 74.9, 77.4, and 11.1, respectively, with significant differences between low-income and high-income countries. Service coverage lags behind financial protection in most MENA countries. There is a significant positive relationship between UHC and government health spending/investments.

Conclusion: The majority of MENA countries are yet to achieve UHC. There is a need to expand healthcare services, especially PHC services, and adopt strategies that address concerns related to financial protection.

Keywords: Financial protection; MENA; Middle East; Universal health coverage.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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