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Universal health coverage (UHC) rests on a simple idea: every person, everywhere, should be able to access the health services they need without fear of financial ruin. Across history, societies have recognised that health is a collective responsibility—from paid sick leave in ancient Egypt, to Bismarck’s social insurance model in 19th century Germany and the clarion call of the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration. In 2015, this principle was woven into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with governments committing to expand service coverage and shield households from catastrophic health spending by 2030.