Which Countries Provide Universal Healthcare?
Almost all of the so-called developed world offer universal healthcare, with the United States being the only exception. In America, the US's Northern neighbour Canada does as do South American and Central American countries such as Venezuela, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina and Cuba. The majority of American countries, however, do not. Very few African countries have universal healthcare systems, with Tunisia and Botswana the only two exceptions. This is likely due to many of these being poor countries and it therefore not being affordable or not being a priority for the state. Within Asia and Australasia Australia and New Zealand both have such healthcare systems but the majority of Asian countries do not. Mongolia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand do though, as do the Middle Eastern nations of the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Europe is where national health services originated and is offered to citizens in most European countries, including all of Western Europe. Poland, Lithuania and Russia are amongst the few exceptions in Eastern Europe.
The Origination of Universal Healthcare
Germany has the world's oldest healthcare system, which dates back to the late nineteenth century. The United Kingdom followed in 1911. At the time only employed citizens and their families, and those who had contributed financially for five years or more, were offered free healthcare. The National Health Service, or NHS, was established in 1948 when all citizens were included. During these early post-war years the number of nations offering universal healthcare increase as the Declaration of Human Rights was established. Only a few countries didn't sign the agreement, which included rights to healthcare and a quality standard of living for citizens, while only two countries, the United States and South Africa, signed it but did not ratify it.
