This year’s conference focuses on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which has become increasingly important as the 2030 deadline fast approaches. Universal Health Coverage is at the top of the global development agenda and like many countries, Zambia adopted UHC as part of the Sustainable Development Goals on September 25, 2015. Globally, progress towards Universal Health Coverage has stagnated. In 2021, an estimated 4.5 billion people—nearly half of the world's population—remained without access to essential health services. Even in regions where some strides have been made in expanding service coverage, these gains have often been marked by gross inequalities.

Zambia’s pursuit of UHC has been marked by similar trends. Notably, Zambia's UHC service coverage index nearly doubled from 28 to 45 between 2000 and 2010. However, between 2010 and 2019, the index only increased modestly from 45 to 54, signalling a loss in momentum. Zambia continues making strides towards attaining UHC despite a number of challenges related to fiscal space, service delivery, re-emerging diseases, and recurrent cholera outbreaks. Additionally, the Zambian health system is still recovering from the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognizing that the outlined challenges are not peculiar to Zambia, the eleventh ZHRC will provide a platform for government, development partners, researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to engage in meaningful and evidence informed dialogue on strategic changes that will accelerate progress toward UHC in low- and middle-income countries.