Progress toward universal health coverage: A comparative analysis in 5 South Asian countries

IMPORTANCE Achieving universal health coverage is one of the key targets in the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. OBJECTIVE To investigate progress toward universal health coverage in 5 South Asian countries and assess inequalities in health services and financial risk protection indicators. DESIGN AND SETTINGS In a population-based study, nationally representative household (335 373 households) survey data from Afghanistan (2014 and 2015), Bangladesh (2010 and 2014), India (2012 and 2014), Nepal (2014 and 2015), and Pakistan (2014) were used to calculate relative indices of health coverage, financial risk protection, and inequality in coverage among wealth quintiles. The study was conducted from June 2012 to February 2016. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Three dimensions of universal health coverage…