Universal Health Coverage (UHC) High-level Forum – World Health Organization (WHO)

Report on the High-Level Forum on Universal Health Coverage and its Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

Event Overview and Objectives

A High-level Forum on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is scheduled for December 6, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan. The event is a collaborative effort organized by the Government of Japan, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank Group. The primary objective of the forum is to provide a platform for strategic dialogue on accelerating progress towards UHC, a cornerstone of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The discussions will focus on strengthening collaboration and implementing innovative approaches to health financing and systems reform, thereby contributing directly to the achievement of SDG Target 3.8.

Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The forum and its associated initiatives are fundamentally aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The entire event is dedicated to advancing UHC, which includes financial risk protection and access to quality essential healthcare services for all. The release of the UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025 will provide critical data for tracking progress against this goal.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The forum exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership, convening governments, international organizations (WHO, World Bank), civil society, and the private sector to mobilize collective action for sustainable health outcomes.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: By concentrating on the needs of low- and middle-income countries and promoting equitable health financing, the initiative aims to reduce disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The establishment of the UHC Knowledge Hub is a direct investment in strengthening the capacity of national health and finance ministries, fostering effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.

Key Initiatives and Outcomes

The forum will feature several key events designed to translate global commitments into tangible action:

1. Launch of the UHC Knowledge Hub: A major outcome will be the official inauguration of the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo. This initiative, supported by the Government of Japan and established by WHO and the World Bank, is designed to build institutional capacity for health financing reforms in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
2. Announcement of National Health Compacts: Country leaders will announce their National Health Compacts, demonstrating concrete national commitments to achieving UHC and localizing the SDGs.
3. Release of the UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025: The joint WHO and World Bank report will be presented, offering an evidence-based assessment of global progress towards UHC and identifying areas requiring further investment.

The UHC Knowledge Hub: A Catalyst for SDG Implementation

The UHC Knowledge Hub serves as a critical mechanism for supporting countries in their efforts to achieve UHC. Its core activities are designed to build sustainable capacity and foster collaboration.

Key Activities of the Hub

1. Training, Capacity Building, and Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Hub delivers practitioner-focused learning opportunities to strengthen competencies in health financing and public financial management. This directly supports the development of strong institutions (SDG 16) and promotes lifelong learning (SDG 4). The first leadership programme is scheduled for February 2026.
2. Advocacy and Convening: By organizing high-level policy dialogues, the Hub builds political momentum and promotes coordinated, solution-driven strategies for health financing reform, reinforcing the multi-stakeholder approach central to SDG 17.

Forum Participants and Programme

Planned Participants

• Ministers of Finance and Health of low- and middle-income countries
• Representatives of international organizations
• Representatives of public-private partnerships
• Representatives of philanthropic organizations, civil society, and the private sector

Tentative Programme

• High-level discussion on accelerating progress towards the SDGs through UHC
• Launch ceremony of the UHC Knowledge Hub
• Release of the UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025
• Announcement of National Health Compacts
• Panel discussions on innovative financing for health

A livestream of the forum’s open session will be provided to ensure broad dissemination of knowledge and promote global engagement in the pursuit of health for all.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The entire article is centered on the concept of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which is a cornerstone of SDG 3. The High-level Forum and the UHC Knowledge Hub are initiatives explicitly designed to “accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage.” The focus on “health financing,” “health systems reform,” and supporting Ministries of Health directly contributes to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article highlights a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve UHC. It describes a collaborative effort between the Government of Japan, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Bank Group. The forum also includes participants from international organizations, public-private partnerships, philanthropic organizations, civil society, and the private sector, which exemplifies the collaborative approach promoted by SDG 17 to achieve sustainable development.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

• This target is the central theme of the article. The event is a “High-level Forum on Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” and the UHC Knowledge Hub’s mission is to support countries in “accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage.” The discussion on “health financing reforms” directly addresses the financial risk protection component of this target.

Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals…

• The UHC Knowledge Hub directly addresses this target. Its key activities include “Training and capacity building and peer-to-peer learning” for senior officials from “low and lower-middle-income countries.” This is a clear example of providing international support for capacity-building to help countries implement their national health plans and achieve UHC.

Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…

• The forum and the knowledge hub are prime examples of this target in action. The article states the hub is a “collaborative initiative” that promotes “knowledge sharing grounded in data and evidence.” The forum itself is a platform for “development partners to engage in a strategic dialogue” and brings together governments, international organizations, and the private sector to advance a common goal.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for Target 3.8

• The article explicitly mentions the release of the “UHC global monitoring report 2025.” This report is the official mechanism used to track progress on UHC and directly implies the use of its two primary indicators:

1. Indicator 3.8.1 (Coverage of essential health services): The focus on “health systems reform” and strengthening the “effectiveness” of health financing aims to improve the coverage and quality of health services.
2. Indicator 3.8.2 (Proportion of population with large household expenditures on health): The emphasis on “health financing reforms” and improving “equity” in financing is aimed at providing financial risk protection and reducing the burden of out-of-pocket health spending on households.

Indicators for Targets 17.9 and 17.16

• The article provides qualitative, not quantitative, indicators for these partnership-focused targets. These include:

1. The establishment of the UHC Knowledge Hub: The existence of this multi-stakeholder initiative serves as an indicator of a functioning global partnership (17.16) and a mechanism for capacity-building (17.9).
2. The convening of the High-level Forum: This event itself is an indicator of ongoing high-level political commitment and dialogue among diverse partners.
3. The announcement of National Health Compacts: These compacts represent concrete national commitments and plans developed through the support of international partnerships, serving as a tangible outcome of the collaboration.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: who.int