Stronger health systems are seen as vital not only for saving lives but also for creating jobs and supporting economic growth. At the Universal Health Coverage High-Level Forum held in Tokyo, Japan, international leaders gathered to discuss progress and share strategies aimed at expanding access to quality, affordable health services.
The World Bank Group set a target in April 2024 to help countries provide such services to 1.5 billion people by 2030. Since then, efforts have reached 375 million people across 45 countries. These initiatives focus on scaling primary care models that improve both access and affordability while generating employment opportunities in various sectors including healthcare delivery and supply chains.
Countries are adopting five-year National Health Compacts, which are government-endorsed plans aligning health and finance ministries around specific reforms. The Compacts emphasize strengthening the health workforce, modernizing facilities, expanding insurance coverage, integrating digital tools into service delivery, and balancing preventive with curative care—especially targeting non-communicable diseases. Examples include connecting health facilities digitally in the Philippines, advancing telemedicine in Indonesia, and increasing subsidized insurance coverage for vulnerable groups in Kenya.
The urgency of these reforms is highlighted by findings from the 2025 Global Monitoring Report: 4.6 billion people still lack essential health services worldwide, while 2.1 billion face financial hardship due to medical expenses. Despite improvements over two decades, recent progress has slowed.
To support country-led reform plans outlined in their National Health Compacts, partners such as the World Bank Group, Gavi, and The Global Fund have announced new collaborations including $2 billion co-financing agreements with each organization. Philanthropic contributions up to $410 million will be channeled through mechanisms like the Global Financing Facility and the Health System Transformation and Resilience Fund. Technical assistance is being provided by Japan, the United Kingdom, Seed Global Health, and other global partners.
A new Universal Health Coverage Knowledge Hub has been launched in Tokyo by Japan along with the World Bank Group and WHO. This Hub aims to strengthen collaboration between health and finance ministries by offering capacity-building programs as well as policy support focused on financing strategies and system effectiveness. The first group of participating countries includes Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
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