Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions

IntroductionIn India, large inequities in health exist by geography, gender, socio-economic class, religion and caste. Universal health coverage (UHC) is envisioned to address these gaps. The deficiencies in our healthcare system cannot be solely bridged by additional investment, increasing manpower...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Avani Radheshyam, Vinod K. Ramani, Radheshyam Naik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1366355/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823860509364977664
author Avani Radheshyam
Vinod K. Ramani
Radheshyam Naik
author_facet Avani Radheshyam
Vinod K. Ramani
Radheshyam Naik
author_sort Avani Radheshyam
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionIn India, large inequities in health exist by geography, gender, socio-economic class, religion and caste. Universal health coverage (UHC) is envisioned to address these gaps. The deficiencies in our healthcare system cannot be solely bridged by additional investment, increasing manpower, adoption of technology or establishing regulatory Institutes. While UHC offers promise, its nation-wide implementation must be carefully planned and monitored.Objectives(1) To review published literature appraising the concepts of UHC such as coverage of health services and financial protection in the Indian healthcare system, (2) To review the deficiencies of the healthcare system in India and explore solutions within the framework of UHC.MethodsThe relevant articles for review were retrieved from PubMed and Google scholar databases using pertinent text terms. This scoping review includes 12 citations and 3 other published reports which address the determinants of UHC and its impact on the healthcare system in India.ResultsUHC aims to address the concept of health in all its dimensions and not merely as a response to illness. This Program’s objectives include reducing the gap between the need and utilization of healthcare, improving its quality and providing financial protection. In India, the public health sector suffers from shortfalls in management, manpower issues and poor accountability, whereas the private health sector is unregulated and contributes to the increasing health expenditure. UHC will improve access to health care and prevent financial impoverishment, which will be advantageous to the rural people and urban poor including workers of the unorganized sector.ConclusionUHC enables health systems to efficiently deliver a wide range of healthcare services to the population, as well as adopt sustainable financing mechanisms. Given the current Covid-19 pandemic and the need to address future pandemics, we need to build resilient health systems as well as hasten the implementation of UHC.
format Article
id doaj-art-914fdcb0781c4c28b3df32e1f13c39cf
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-2565
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Public Health
spelling doaj-art-914fdcb0781c4c28b3df32e1f13c39cf2025-02-10T13:12:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-02-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13663551366355Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actionsAvani Radheshyam0Vinod K. Ramani1Radheshyam Naik2HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG), Bangalore, IndiaM S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, IndiaM S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, IndiaIntroductionIn India, large inequities in health exist by geography, gender, socio-economic class, religion and caste. Universal health coverage (UHC) is envisioned to address these gaps. The deficiencies in our healthcare system cannot be solely bridged by additional investment, increasing manpower, adoption of technology or establishing regulatory Institutes. While UHC offers promise, its nation-wide implementation must be carefully planned and monitored.Objectives(1) To review published literature appraising the concepts of UHC such as coverage of health services and financial protection in the Indian healthcare system, (2) To review the deficiencies of the healthcare system in India and explore solutions within the framework of UHC.MethodsThe relevant articles for review were retrieved from PubMed and Google scholar databases using pertinent text terms. This scoping review includes 12 citations and 3 other published reports which address the determinants of UHC and its impact on the healthcare system in India.ResultsUHC aims to address the concept of health in all its dimensions and not merely as a response to illness. This Program’s objectives include reducing the gap between the need and utilization of healthcare, improving its quality and providing financial protection. In India, the public health sector suffers from shortfalls in management, manpower issues and poor accountability, whereas the private health sector is unregulated and contributes to the increasing health expenditure. UHC will improve access to health care and prevent financial impoverishment, which will be advantageous to the rural people and urban poor including workers of the unorganized sector.ConclusionUHC enables health systems to efficiently deliver a wide range of healthcare services to the population, as well as adopt sustainable financing mechanisms. Given the current Covid-19 pandemic and the need to address future pandemics, we need to build resilient health systems as well as hasten the implementation of UHC.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1366355/fulluniversal health coverageinsurance coveragehealth policyhealth equityhealthcare financingIndia
spellingShingle Avani Radheshyam
Vinod K. Ramani
Radheshyam Naik
Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
Frontiers in Public Health
universal health coverage
insurance coverage
health policy
health equity
healthcare financing
India
title Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
title_full Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
title_fullStr Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
title_full_unstemmed Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
title_short Achieving universal health coverage in India: a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
title_sort achieving universal health coverage in india a scoping review on the requisite public health actions
topic universal health coverage
insurance coverage
health policy
health equity
healthcare financing
India
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1366355/full
work_keys_str_mv AT avaniradheshyam achievinguniversalhealthcoverageinindiaascopingreviewontherequisitepublichealthactions
AT vinodkramani achievinguniversalhealthcoverageinindiaascopingreviewontherequisitepublichealthactions
AT radheshyamnaik achievinguniversalhealthcoverageinindiaascopingreviewontherequisitepublichealthactions