The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that 4.6 billion people worldwide still do not have access to essential health services, underscoring major gaps in global progress towards universal health coverage.
The revelation is contained in the latest Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Global Monitoring Report, highlighted by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus during his opening remarks at the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board in Geneva on Monday.
According to the report, nearly two-thirds of the global population are unable to access basic health care services such as maternal care, immunisation, treatment for infectious diseases and noncommunicable conditions. In addition, 2.1 billion people are facing financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenses.
Dr Tedros said the findings reflect deep inequalities in access to health care, worsened by recent cuts to international aid and health financing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
“One of the main reasons people miss out on health services is because they don’t have access to a health worker,” he said, noting that the world is projected to face a shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030, more than half of them nurses.
He added that sudden and severe reductions in bilateral aid have disrupted health systems in many countries, forcing governments to scale back services and delay reforms aimed at achieving universal health coverage.
In response, WHO said it has been supporting countries to strengthen their health systems and move towards greater domestic financing for health. The organisation has issued guidance to help countries respond to what it described as a “health financing emergency” and is promoting tools such as health taxes to generate sustainable funding.
To address workforce shortages, WHO reported that it supported 11 countries facing acute health worker gaps in 2025, contributing to commitments for nearly 100,000 new health worker jobs. Adding that South Africa, for example, has expanded its health workforce by 28% over the past five years with WHO support.
The organisation has also expanded training through the WHO Academy, which now offers more than 250 free courses in up to 20 languages, recording over 100,000 enrolments last year.
Despite the scale of the challenge, Dr Tedros said progress remains possible if governments maintain political commitment and invest in resilient health systems.
WHO urged Member States to prioritise health spending, strengthen governance and sustain reforms to ensure that access to essential health services is not determined by income or geography.
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