Health is a human right, as well as a cornerstone of social protection systems. Yet globally, millions remain excluded from essential care, with financial hardship and systemic gaps still standing in the way of universal health coverage.

In this episode, numbered as the 50th of the Social Protection Podcast, we take a close look at Zambia’s National Health Insurance Scheme as a case study for how countries are working to expand social health protection, and what the social protection and health sectors can learn from each other to achieve the shared goal of universal coverage.

Meet our guests:

For our Quick Wins segment, we speak with Peter Ombasa, Senior Social Protection Specialist and Assistant Director of Children's Services of the Government of Kenya, about the USP2030 Joint Statement: Key messages on Social Protection for the World Social Summit 2025.

Resources:

Blog post | Social Protection for Health and Wellbeing

Publication | Towards Universal Health Coverage: Social Health Protection Principles

Publication | World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition

Publication | Financing gap for universal social protection: Global, regional and national estimates and strategies for creating fiscal space

Publication | Universal social security is feasible in low-income countries: a critical review of the ILO’s calculations on the cost of bridging the gap

Podcast | Think Change episode 70: how can development financing be reformed? The road to Seville