Alpha 2.0
Login Register
» Articles » PMID: 39946553

Synergising Universal Health Coverage and Global Health Security in the Western Pacific Region

Overview
Journal J Glob Health
Specialties Health Services
Public Health
Date 2025 Feb 13
PMID 39946553
Authors
Yuhua Lai
Di Liang
Albino Bobogare
Buyanjargal Yadamsuren
Esabelle Yam
Siyan Yi
Hugo Bugoro
Jiayan Huang
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

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 < 0.01). The correlation coefficients between the two index scores were 0.722 (P < 0.001) at the global level and 0.869 (P < 0.001) at WPR. Within the WPR, the correlation coefficients were 0.859 (P < 0.001) in the non-PICTs and -0.026 (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.

References
1.
Spicer N, Agyepong I, Ottersen T, Jahn A, Ooms G . 'It's far too complicated': why fragmentation persists in global health. Global Health. 2020; 16(1):60. PMC: 7344046. DOI: 10.1186/s12992-020-00592-1. View
2.
Wakerman J, Humphreys J, Russell D, Guthridge S, Bourke L, Dunbar T . Remote health workforce turnover and retention: what are the policy and practice priorities?. Hum Resour Health. 2019; 17(1):99. PMC: 6915930. DOI: 10.1186/s12960-019-0432-y. View
3.
Duong D, King A, Grepin K, Hsu L, Lim J, Phillips C . Strengthening national capacities for pandemic preparedness: a cross-country analysis of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Health Policy Plan. 2021; 37(1):55-64. PMC: 8522413. DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czab122. View
4.
Lal A, Lim C, Almeida G, Fitzgerald J . Minimizing COVID-19 disruption: Ensuring the supply of essential health products for health emergencies and routine health services. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2021; 6:100129. PMC: 8645973. DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2021.100129. View
5.
Abraham C, Nishihara E, Akiyama M . Transforming healthcare with information technology in Japan: a review of policy, people, and progress. Int J Med Inform. 2011; 80(3):157-70. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.01.002. View