Bangladesh’s score on the WHO’s universal health coverage (UHC) service coverage index rose from 24 in 2000 to 54 in 2023, more than doubling. The index runs from 0 to 100 and combines coverage of essential services, from reproductive, maternal and child health to infectious disease control, non-communicable disease care and service capacity.
24 → 54
UHC service coverage index for Bangladesh, 2000 to 2023 (scale 0–100).
Progress was steady, at roughly 1–3 points a year until 2017, then flattened: the index stood at 47 in both 2017 and 2018, reached 52 in 2020 and 2021, and was unchanged at 54 in 2022 and 2023.
Other countries moved faster. Among six South Asian countries, Bangladesh started above only Nepal in 2000 (24 against 18) and in 2023 had the lowest score: Nepal reached 58, Pakistan 56, India and Bhutan 69 each, and Sri Lanka 72. Nepal’s index more than tripled over the period.
The flattening since 2019 suggests the easy gains from vaccination, family planning and maternal care have been captured, and further progress will depend on strengthening care for chronic disease and the capacity of the health system. The index is a modelled composite estimate, so small year-to-year changes should be read with caution.
Source: WHO Global Health Observatory (December 2025 update), via the UN SDG Global Database, series SH_ACS_UNHC_25.