Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Exploding medicine prices are the biggest obstacle to universal health coverage, forcing nearly 1.6 billion people deeper into poverty, according to a new report published by the World Health Organisation,(WHO) and the World Bank.
The 2025 Universal Health Coverage Global Monitoring Report, released Saturday at the UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo, shows medicines consume more than half of out-of-pocket health spending in most countries and up to 60 per cent among the poorest households.
Despite rising global health service coverage, progress has slowed sharply since 2015, disproportionately excluding vulnerable populations. The report notes that while the Service Coverage Index rose from 54 in 2000 to 71 in 2023, gains have largely bypassed low-income families.
“In three out of four countries with available data, medicines account for at least 55 per cent of what people pay directly for healthcare,” the report states.
The financial impact is stark. In 2022, three in four people in the poorest income quintile suffered catastrophic health spending, compared with fewer than one in 25 among the wealthiest group.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the findings underline urgent global inequities. “Universal health coverage is the ultimate expression of the right to health, yet billions still cannot afford the care they need,” he says.
He warns that cuts to international aid further threaten progress, urging governments to invest aggressively in health systems to protect lives and economies.
At current trends, the world is projected to reach a Service Coverage Index of just 74 by 2030, far below universal targets.
The report calls for free essential medicines for the poor, expanded public health financing, medicine price controls, and stronger primary healthcare systems.
About the Author
Mirian Gom 
Otamere Gladness 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 