The purpose of the visit by Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Compulsory Health Insurance to Japan on June 24-28 was to learn about Japan’s achievements in the field of compulsory health insurance and to strengthen international cooperation in healthcare.
The delegation from Azerbaijan was headed by Zaur Aliyev, the Chairman of the Board of the State Agency for Compulsory Health Insurance.
On the first day of the business trip, Mr Zaur Aliyev, met with Mr. Shizaki Akihisa, Deputy Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan for Parliamentary Affairs. Mr Zaur Aliyev shared information about the compulsory health insurance system in Azerbaijan and emphasized that the visit provided an opportunity to study the Japanese health insurance system, as well as establish mutually beneficial cooperation and implement joint projects. He also informed about the world’s largest international conference – COP29, which will be held in Azerbaijan in 2024, and said that it is important to support the current efforts of each country to strengthen the sustainability and environmental health of the health sector by leading the global “Green and Healthy Hospitals” program. The Deputy Minister, in turn, highly appreciated the close interest of Azerbaijan in healthcare and health insurance system of Japan and confirmed high willingness to cooperate. He added that the development of global partnership has an indispensable role in promoting the development of the health system of both sides.
Later in the day, employees of the Health Insurance Bureau gave the delegation detailed information about the structure of the Japanese health insurance system, the specialists of the Medical Policy Bureau shared information about the initiatives implemented in recent years regarding emergency medical care and the family doctor system, and the specialized representatives of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Bureau gave detailed information about the management structure of the pharmaceutical industry. .
A meeting was held with the management of the International University of Health and Welfare, the first university in Japan specializing in health and welfare, to discuss the organization of medical education and the management system of hospitals. Zaur Aliyev and Kuninori Takagi, the Chairman of the university, exchanged views on potential joint training programs. The delegation of the agency got acquainted with Sanno Hospital and Sanno Medical Center, one of the most prestigious medical institutions of the country operating under the university. Later, the delegation visited the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, which is engaged in the implementation of important issues such as conducting basic medical research related to clinical practice, promoting international cooperation in health care, as well as currently operating as a hospital, where the emergency room, resuscitation and visited intensive care service units and exchanged ideas on the organization of medical services with specialists of emergency medicine, pharmacy and radiology departments.
The agency’s delegation visited the Tokyo Metropolitan National Health Insurance Organization, which reviews medical payments within health insurance. The specialized experts of the institution provided detailed information to the delegation about how healthcare providers apply for insurance payments, how is the registration process organized, and described the work of the Supervisory Committee consisting of doctors.
As part of the visit, presentation sessions were held at the Health Insurance Association of Japan. Presentations illustrated core activities of the two institutions. It was stated that knowledge exchange about healthcare financing in the two countries is mutually beneficial as a form of exchange of experience.
