Universalism in Healthcare for Human Security: Policy Considerations

ABSTRACT Universal healthcare, encompassing coverage, generosity, and equity in health benefits and services, directly enhances human security. Expanding universal healthcare is becoming increasingly important amidst heightening, interrelated threats to human security. Developing countries are likely to bear greater impacts from these threats, but have healthcare systems that are inadequately prepared for the same. To strengthen healthcare universalism, policymakers must aim for the joint advancement of coverage, generosity, and equity as policy outputs. Building universal systems is necessarily a long-term effort, and each country’s pathway will depend on its specific policy architecture and opportunities for reform. Policymakers must seek to create the right policy trajectories for expanding universalism over time, taking into account that approaches that incentivise coalition building across social groups can help sustain political support for future expansion. Prioritising unified systems that provide the same benefits to everyone can help mitigate inequities, strengthen resilience, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the system. Global trends and experiences of many developing countries demonstrate that progress on healthcare universalism is achievable at all levels of development, and is among the most important strategies today for advancing human security.