Progress and inequalities in financial risk protection toward universal health coverage: insights from Vietnam

Our findings suggest that Vietnam is unlikely to achieve full financial risk protection by 2030, given modest projected improvements and low probabilities of meeting UHC targets. Persistent and widening inequalities, particularly by region and educational level, underscore the need for targeted health financing reforms that prioritize disadvantaged groups such as ethnic minorities, rural households, and those with high dependency ratios. Strengthening social health insurance, expanding fiscal space for health, and integrating financial protection policies with broader poverty reduction and social development programs will be critical for advancing equity and moving closer to UHC in Vietnam.