Researchers in Vietnam, Thailand, India and the UK have been awarded more than £4 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to identify and evaluate inclusive methods of healthcare provision. Analysis of access to essential health services in these Asian countries, known as universal health coverage, is proposed in the SUNWAI project – Social participation for Universal health coverage: evidence-informed NetWorks Advancing Inclusion. By that, I mean analysis of how citizens are involved in the healthcare system outside of being patients. How do each of the systems ensure all citizens are receiving the treatment and support they need, and how do they hold the systems accountable for this? Recent health policy and legal developments in Vietnam, Thailand, and India suggest varied pathways for these communities as members of society and as patients, which can provide important lessons on how social participation in health can impact on universal health coverage and availability.