Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people receive the quality health services they need to be effective, when and where they need them,  without suffering financial hardship.

Achieving UHC is a key target of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 and reaffirmed by countries at the 2019 and 2023 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on UHC. Progress on UHC supports other health targets and SDGs, making it a central focus of national health reforms and a core priority for WHO. This thematic page provides the latest available evidence based on the two SDG indicators that measure progress towards UHC: SDG indicator 3.8.1 is the UHC service coverage index, and SDG indicator 3.8.2 tracks the proportion of the population facing financial hardship in health. Both are based on the definitions adopted in March 2025. Data for SDG indicator 3.8.2 based on the 2017 definitions has been archived and will not be further updated (see  archived SDG 3.8.2 indicator data here).