New Lancet series on the role of the private sector in Universal Health Coverage

Health care in many low- and middle-income countries is a complex mix of private and public provision, with a range of different private actors including spiritual and traditional healers, private hospitals and unqualified drug suppliers, to name but a few. This mix makes it difficult to generalise about how best to achieve Universal Health Coverage in these contexts. 

To examine some of these complexities, The Lancet has published a new Series titled ‘Universal Health Coverage: Markets, Profit, and the Public Good’, which discusses how to ensure an affordable and effective health system for all, while managing this diverse mix of public-private health care provision.

A launch of the Series took place on June 27th, featuring presentations by article authors and a discussion. You can watch the full recording of the launch here. You can also find out more by listening to an audio recording of Kara Hanson and Richard Lane discussing the series.