Inequalities are getting starker.

Despite progress, persistent gaps and inequalities are on the rise. In 2022, 3 out of 4 people among the poorest segment of the populations faced financial hardship from health costs, compared with fewer than 1 in 25 among the richest.

Women, people living in poverty, or in rural areas, or with less education, reported greater difficulty accessing essential health services. The gap between women in the richest and poorest quintiles narrowed slightly, from about 38 to 33 percentage points over the past decade. Even in high-performing regions such as Europe, vulnerable groups – including the poorest and people with disabilities – continue to report higher unmet health needs.

These findings likely underestimate the true extent of health inequalities, as the most vulnerable groups – such as displaced populations and people living in informal settlements – are often missing in data sources used to monitor progress toward UHC.

Actions leading to 2030