A new WHO digital platform, UHC Watch, reveals that up to 20% of households across Europe experience catastrophic health spending, mainly due to out-of-pocket costs for medications. These expenses force people to forgo other basic needs such as food, housing, and heating. This information, collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the lead-up to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, shows the financial strain that health care costs place on many European families. UHC Watch tracks progress on affordable health care access in 45 countries.

According to Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO's Regional Director for Europe, the data emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize universal health coverage to prevent people from having to choose between life-saving treatments and essential living expenses. UHC Watch is the first digital tool dedicated to tracking health coverage and financial protection across Europe and Central Asia, providing policymakers with actionable data to strengthen health systems. The platform helps accelerate progress toward universal health coverage by offering clear policy guidance and comparing countries’ health systems.

The platform shows that financial hardship, primarily caused by out-of-pocket payments for medicines, hearing aids, and dental care, affects millions, even in some of Europe’s wealthiest nations. The situation is particularly dire for the poorest communities. In fact, the incidence of catastrophic health spending has risen in the majority of countries surveyed, with an average increase of 1.7 percentage points.

UHC Watch’s design aims to assist policymakers, analysts, journalists, and advocacy groups by providing up-to-date information on health system performance. It includes 40 country-level indicators on financial hardship, unmet health care needs, and health spending. In addition, the platform offers policy insights on coverage, user charges, and health insurance across 45 countries. It also features more than 150 resources, including reports, news articles, and multimedia materials.

Dr. Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, WHO/Europe’s Director of Country Health Policies and Systems, emphasized that health systems must protect people from financial hardship rather than contribute to it. With UHC Watch, countries have access to the data needed to dismantle financial barriers to health care, ensuring that no one is left behind.

UHC Watch is funded by the EU’s EU4Health programme and supported by the European Financial Protection Network, which assesses financial protection in over 40 countries. The platform aims to monitor health system trends, support policies to reduce unmet health care needs, and track progress toward universal health coverage. It is a key tool in the ongoing effort to ensure equitable and affordable health care for all in the region.

Source: WHO Regional Office for Europe