Cigna Healthcare, a global health service company, has launched a key health literacy initiative in Middle East and Africa (MEA) in a bid to close the health literacy gap. 

Operating for more than 19 years in the Middle East region, Cigna Healthcare serves the GCC markets and Lebanon through its locally regulated entities. 

This regional campaign aims to improve overall understanding of health insurance by making information clearer, more accessible, and easier to apply to everyday life.

The activities will engage local employers and communities through accessible content, new research, thought leadership, and community engagement initiatives.

According to Cigna, the development of a robust health ecosystem is emerging as one of the most critical factors for communities to stay healthy and for the sustainability of healthcare. 

Across the region, however, many individuals still struggle to interpret medical information, navigate systems, and make informed decisions. Against this backdrop and to address this challenge, it stated.

The Health Inclusivity Index 2025 shows that while literacy levels have improved by 30% over the past three years, only a minority of adults demonstrate strong healthcare literacy skills, underscoring the need for coordinated action, it added. 

On the awareness drive, Leah Cotterill, the CEO of Cigna Healthcare Middle East (Outside KSA), said: "People don’t need more information; they need clearer information. Health literacy should stand alongside financial literacy as a core life skill. Our goal is practical: help individuals understand all the tools and services available to them, make sound decisions, and help employers build healthier, more resilient workplaces."

Cigna Healthcare’s initiative aims to counter this by making health information actionable, reduce complexity, and embed healthcare literacy as a core life skill. Programs will include new research, policy dialogues, and employer engagement to help create environments where informed decisions become the norm, stated Cotterill.

In the UAE, health literacy remains a challenge despite significant progress. The UAE ranks 10th worldwide, however, only a minority of adults demonstrate strong health literacy skills, said the top official. 

This gap continues to impact decision-making and trust in healthcare systems, underscoring the need for action, she added.

Cigna said this campaign will catalyse collaboration, bringing together educators, healthcare providers, and employers to create a simplified approach to healthcare. 

By simplifying communication, fostering trust, and empowering individuals with practical tools, Cigna Healthcare aims to build a future where informed health decisions are second nature and communities thrive, it added.-TradeArabia News Service