On this Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, Ifakara Health Institute joins the global community in calling for health for all. The 2025 UHC Day theme, “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!”, highlights the reality that millions worldwide still struggle to afford essential healthcare.

According to the World Health Organization, despite numerous high-level political commitments to achieve UHC by 2030, more than half of the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services. At the same time, one in four people experience financial hardship when paying for care out of pocket, often sacrificing basic needs like food, education, or housing.

In Tanzania, Ifakara Health Institute continues to generate evidence that informs policies and programs aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare. Recent research by Ifakara scientist, Peter Binyaruka and Josephine Borghi from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, published in Health Policy and Planning, shows that in most middle-income countries UHC tracking often overlooks the largest costs patients face—transport, lost income, and travel time. The researchers urge governments to measure these hidden expenses and strengthen primary healthcare systems to better protect vulnerable households.

At Ifakara, we remain committed to producing evidence, developing innovations, and supporting policies that expand access to quality, affordable healthcare for everyone in Tanzania and beyond. On this UHC Day, we stand with communities and partners worldwide to ensure that healthcare is accessible, affordable, and leaves no one behind.