Whilst Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is high on national and international agendas, many low and middle-income countries face significant challenges in expanding access to health services and financial protection to all people. Adequately addressing these challenges requires evidence, generated through research, which considers the complexity of countries’ diverse health systems and addresses the needs of their populations.

UHC has strongly influenced the RESYST research agenda. Research on financing has investigated how low and middle-income countries can increase domestic resources to fund health services adequately, and develop the strategic purchasing capacity required to ensure equitable access to quality services. However, UHC is not only about funding; a vital element of UHC is ensuring that there are enough trained health workers to provide services to everybody, including populations in rural and remote areas. RESYST researchers have sought to address the challenge of how to attract health workers to rural areas by tracking a cohort of nursing graduates and monitoring their employment decisions over several years.  

Below is a list of RESYST resources relating to UHC, grouped according to topic.

The list includes some RESYST-related publications, authored by RESYST members but funded from other sources.

Research for Universal Health Coverage
RESYST topic overview (2014)
Area of focus: Global
Overview: This brief provides a detailed summary of RESYST research on UHC and key research findings.

How can global communities contribute to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage?
RESYST blog; Tangcharoensathien V (2016)
Area of focus: Global
Overview: This blog presents highlights from Viroj Tangcharoensathien’s keynote address at an international consultative meeting, organised by the International Health Partnership (IHP+).

Raising domestic resources for health

It is often assumed that low and middle-income countries cannot increase tax revenue due to weak administrative capacity, high levels of tax evasion and large informal sectors. However, some African countries have shown that fiscal space can be expanded by strengthening the tax administrative system. The challenge remains in ensuring this additional revenue is invested in the health sector. 

Increasing tax revenue and its impact on financing public healthcare in South Africa
RESYST working paper; Doherty J (2014)
Area of focus: South Africa
Overview: This study explains how the post-apartheid South African tax collection agency managed to increase tax revenue between 1994-2012, and assess whether the increase in general tax revenue impacted on government funding for the health sector.

Raising domestic resources for health: can tax revenue help fund Universal Health Coverage?
RESYST policy brief (2015)
Area of focus: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Overview: This policy brief outlines how Kenya, South Africa and Lagos State in Nigeria, increased tax revenue, and identifies common factors across contexts. The brief concludes with recommendations for health sector officials about how to negotiate more successfully for additional resources to be spent on health. 

Can improved tax collection systems boost public funding for health?
RESYST webinar (2016)
Area of focus: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Overview: In this webinar, Dr Jane Doherty presents an overview of the research that documents country experiences of improving the effectiveness of their tax collection systems. The presentation is followed by comments by researchers from Kenya and Nigeria and questions from attendees of the webinar.

Covering the informal sector
RESYST workshop report (2014)
Area of focus: Ghana, Indonesia, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Thailand
Overview: This report is from a workshop on expanding access to health services and financial protection for people outside the formal employment sector.