The State Health Insurance Fund of Uzbekistan (SHIF) and the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) held an online meeting to discuss Estonia’s successful health insurance system and explore opportunities for collaboration.
On 28 February, the State Health Insurance Fund of Uzbekistan (SHIF) and the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) held an online meeting, facilitated by the BACKUP Health/P4H Country Focal Person in Uzbekistan. During the meeting, Ms. Pille Banhard, a member of EHIF’s Management Board, provided an overview of Estonia’s health insurance system and engaged in discussions with her Uzbek counterparts. Over 50 representatives from SHIF and the Ministry of Health participated in the meeting.
Key objectives of the meeting:
- To establish a foundation for future collaboration between EHIF and SHIF
- To gain insights from Estonia’s experience in implementing and managing health insurance
- To support Uzbekistan’s policymakers in shaping a robust social health insurance (SHI) model
Estonia’s health insurance system is widely regarded as a success story, achieving near-universal coverage through its SHI model, which insures nearly all citizens through EHIF. This system has led to high levels of satisfaction, accessible and affordable healthcare, and significant improvements compared to the post-Soviet Semashko health system.
Furthermore, Estonia’s advanced digital health infrastructure plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency in patient data management and access to services. This exchange provided a valuable opportunity to explore EHIF’s organizational structure, revenue generation, and payment mechanisms—key aspects that can inform Uzbekistan’s ongoing health financing reforms. By fostering international dialogue and knowledge sharing, this initiative contributes to advancing universal health coverage (UHC) in Uzbekistan.
