A universal health coverage will translate into a healthy economy

There is net gain to the economy when a society adopts universal health coverage (UHC). This gain is not simply in terms of improvement of the health of the people and the lowering of mortality rates, but also in terms of the impact on the economy as a whole.

A study carried out by the consulting firm, KPMG, on the impact UHC is going to have on the South African economy since it was adopted in August 1211, shows that the economic benefits of investing in healthcare far outweigh the potential costs associated with the roll-out of UHC and the funding thereof through increased taxes. This is real both at the individual household level as well as at the macro-economy level as a whole.