AUTHOR=Hajji Othmane , El Abbadi Bouchra , Akhnif El Houcine 

TITLE=Systematic Review of Financing Functions for Universal Health Coverage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Reforms, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

JOURNAL=Public Health Reviews

VOLUME=Volume 46 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/public-health-reviews/articles/10.3389/phrs.2025.1607745

DOI=10.3389/phrs.2025.1607745

ISSN=2107-6952

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveThe systematic review reveals a lack of research on financing universal health coverage (UHC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to examine the financing mechanisms used, identify the main challenges faced, and gather insights from successful experiences to inform future reforms in LMICs.MethodsWe conducted a literature search across seven academic databases, limiting our systematic review to studies published in English and French between 2010 and 2022, which were then included in our qualitative analysis.ResultsA total of 45 studies met the inclusion criteria—most used qualitative (n = 23) or documentary (n = 15) approaches. The majority (n = 37) were published between 2015 and 2022. Using Kutzin’s framework, we analyzed health financing functions in LMICs. Key challenges and lessons learned were summarized to improve understanding of ongoing financing issues and opportunities for reform.ConclusionThis study emphasizes key financing strategies and ongoing challenges in LMICs and provides specific recommendations for countries to prioritize reforms and address health financing gaps. The goal is to speed up progress toward UHC.