The WHO has committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in terms of access to essential health services. According to recent data, 4.5 billion people were not fully covered by these services in 2021, and an estimated 2 billion people experienced financial hardship in 2019. To address this issue and promote equity, the organization has developed a handbook that identifies barriers to effective coverage with health services.
The 8-module handbook uses mixed method research approaches grounded in the Tanahashi framework for effective coverage. It focuses on barriers experienced by both potential users and non-users of health services, capturing evidence on the interaction between the population and the services. The primary audience for this handbook includes technical staff in national and subnational authorities responsible for planning, managing, monitoring, and evaluating health services.
Additionally, the handbook targets research institutes, universities, multilateral system organizations/entities working at the country level, non-governmental and civil society organizations, and patients’ associations. This handbook is part of a broader set of tools provided by WHO to support equity-oriented, rights-based, and gender-responsive planning and programming by the health sector. It complements other WHO and partner guidance on primary health care, integrated people-centered health services, health financing, social determinants of health, and human resources for health.
