BACKGROUND:
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a central global health goal, yet progress remains uneven across and within countries. Weak governance—manifesting as fragmented decision-making, limited accountability, regulatory capture, and insufficient community participation—continues to undermine equitable, efficient, and sustainable health systems. As countries pursue health financing and service delivery reforms, governance has emerged as a critical determinant of whether UHC commitments translate into meaningful access to quality care.

OBJECTIVE:
This panel explores how governance arrangements shape UHC design, implementation, and outcomes, with a focus on institutional accountability, and stewardship of public and private actors. Methods/Approach: Drawing on comparative country experiences, low and middle settings, panelists will examine governance mechanisms across key UHC functions, including priority-setting, benefit package design, purchasing, regulation of providers and industry, and public participation. The discussion integrates legal, political economy, and health systems perspectives. Key Themes: The three panellists will discuss their research covering priority setting, accountability and benefit package design.

CONCLUSIONS:
Effective governance is not a technical add-on but a foundational requirement for achieving equitable and sustainable UHC. By highlighting practical governance tools and lessons from diverse contexts, this panel aims to inform policymakers, practitioners, and researchers on strengthening stewardship and accountability to advance UHC.