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Elias Mossialos
Professor of Health Policy @LSE
Elias Mossialos holds the position of Cheng Yu Tung Chair in Global Health at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He is also the Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy and serves as the Director of LSE Health. Mossialos has a distinguished academic career, having previously been the founding Head of the LSE Department of Health Policy from 2017 to 2020.
His research expertise encompasses a wide range of topics including healthcare regulation, access to healthcare, quality of care, digital health, healthcare financing, and pharmaceutical policies. Notably, he co-founded the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies in 1998, which focuses on health policy research and knowledge transfer.1
Mossialos has received numerous accolades for his contributions to public health, including the Andrija Stampar medal and the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in the UK. His extensive experience includes advising various international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the European Parliament, as well as serving as a Member of Parliament and Minister of State in Greece.1
Highlights
I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Cheng Yu Tung Chair in Global Health at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)!
Pakistan’s Path to Universal Health Coverage: National and Regional Insights
Pakistan is ambitiously pursuing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure everyone can access essential health services without financial hardship. This effort is driven by provincial governments, each facing complex public health challenges. This article explores Pakistan's progress toward UHC, analyzing national and regional insights, and identifying ongoing challenges.
Tracking Progress: The UHC Index
Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES), a UHC index was developed to measure progress at national and provincial levels for 2007, 2013, and 2018. The index shows a mixed picture: while Pakistan has made strides towards UHC, significant disparities persist among provinces.
Provinces with lower poverty rates, like Punjab, consistently have higher UHC indices, indicating a clear link between economic development and health coverage. Punjab’s UHC index is comparable to upper-middle-income nations like Indonesia, while Balochistan’s aligns with lower-middle-income countries like Bangladesh. Despite overall progress, the gap between the most and least developed regions remains critical.
Child Immunization: A Persistent Challenge
A major concern is the persistent weakness in child immunization rates. According to 2018 DHS data, about one-third of children in Pakistan are not fully vaccinated, with one-sixth never receiving any vaccinations. This gap has allowed vaccine-preventable diseases, like polio, to remain endemic. Despite the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) starting in 1978, Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, continues to report new polio cases, highlighting the urgent need for more effective vaccination campaigns.
Economic Inequality and Health Expenditure
The analysis also shows a strong correlation between household wealth and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE)—expenses that threaten a household's financial stability. Wealthier households are less likely to incur CHE, while poorer families are more vulnerable. In 2018, 70% of health expenditure for those experiencing CHE was spent on medicines, a 39-percentage-point increase since 2007, indicating that current UHC initiatives have not sufficiently addressed the burden of medicine costs.
A Call for Comprehensive Action
Pakistan's journey toward Universal Health Coverage is marked by achievements and challenges. While progress has been made, persistent inequalities among provinces and the significant burden of health care costs highlight the need for more comprehensive and targeted policies. Addressing these issues is crucial for Pakistan to move closer to achieving UHC and ensuring all citizens have access to essential health services without facing financial ruin.
@Di Yang(LSE), @Zlatko Nikoloski @Ghazna Khalid @LSE Department of Health Policy
