Synergising universal health coverage and global health security in the Western Pacific Region

Bibliographic Data

ID19550242
AuthorsYuhua Lai (0009-0000-4679-0085, Fudan University), Di Liang (0000-0003-2569-1605, Fudan University), Albino Bobogare (Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Honiara, Solomon Islands), Buyanjargal Yadamsuren (Mongolian Association of Family Medicine Specialists, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia), Esabelle Lo Yan Yam (0000-0002-6349-3856, Australian National University), Esabelle Yam, Siyan Yi (0000-0002-3045-5386, National University of Singapore), Hugo Bugoro (0000-0002-6760-5464, University of the South Pacific - Solomon Islands Campus), Jiayan Huang (0000-0001-9074-6305, Fudan University)
Year2025
Volume15
Pages04037-04037
Publication date2025-02-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Global Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2047-2978 • E-ISSN: 2047-2986
PublisherInternational Society of Global Health (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.7189/jogh.15.04037
PMID39946553
OpenAlexW4407446358
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited40

Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) and global health security (GHS) should be pursued synergistically to strengthen health systems. However, existing studies found that the efforts toward the two agendas were divergent worldwide. We reviewed the synergy status between UHC and GHS in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) to provide evidence for decision-makers to promote synergy. Methods: We collected the UHC service coverage index (UHC SCI) and the GHS index (GHSI) scores. We created a four-quadrant diagram to discover the gap in UHC and GHS capacities within WPR and divide WPR countries into four groups based on the global mean scores. Further, we adopted global spatial autocorrelation analysis to discover spatial aggregations of high and low scores by calculating Moran's I. In addition, we conducted a correlation analysis to assess the synergy level in WPR and reveal the gap between Pacific Island countries or territories (PICTs) and non-PICTs. We conducted key informant interviews to uncover actual scenarios and address gaps in the quantitative evidence. Results: Compared to the global mean UHC SCI and GHSI scores, nine out of 13 non-PICTs had higher scores, while all 14 of the PICTs had lower scores for both indexes. The Moran's I for WPR countries' UHC SCI and GHSI scores in 2021 were 0.20 and 0.23, respectively (Z-score >2.58; P 0.05) in the PICTs. Conclusions: The synergy level between UHC and GHS was high in the WPR, but this mainly came from the synergy in the non-PICTs. The two agendas have barely synergised the PICTs. To build a safer and healthier WPR, it is important to pay more attention to the countries that have weaker health capacities in the region and narrow the gap

Environmental health · Geography · Global health · Health security · Political science · Public health · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Nursing · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research