Nepal's shift to federalism and the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) aimed for universal health coverage, but persistent structural flaws undermine strategic purchasing and system efficiency. The Ministry of Health and Population’s conflicting roles as...

Transforming Health Care Access in the Pacific Islands
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to invest in the service capability and resilience of the health systems of Pacific Island countries. Responding to this need, the World Bank launched three Health System Strengthening operations in Samoa (2020), Kiribati...

Nepal’s health insurance program: challenges and early impacts
Nepal’s National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), launched in 2016 to improve healthcare access and reduce costs, has faced low enrollment and high dropout rates due to concerns about service quality, lack of awareness, administrative delays, and affordability issues....
Healthier SG: a gateway for evolving public-private population partnerships in population health
Singapore’s new Healthier SG policy aims to integrate private general practitioners into the national primary care system via public-private partnerships, shared protocols, and unified IT and funding models. While the Ministry of Health has tackled several barriers to...

Jordan launches 2020–2022 health accounts and unveils reform roadmap
Jordan’s Health Ministry launches National Health Accounts and COVID-19 spending review, setting the stage for a new reform plan to strengthen health financing and expand universal health coverage.The Jordanian Ministry of Health has officially launched the National...

Irish Government publishes Path to UHC Programme 2025+
The new government administration in Ireland, elected at the end of 2024 recently published their plan for continuing on the path to UHC. In 2017, the ten-year Sláintecare health plan was launched. This plan update builds on findings from previous progress...

China never had free healthcare before its market reforms
The perception of a universal "free" medical care system in China's planned economy era is largely a myth, as most urban healthcare costs were covered by state employers while rural populations had almost no insurance or access to medical resources. Government surveys...

Philippines strengthens push for universal health care through UHC Act
The Philippines advances its Universal Health Care goals with automatic insurance for all citizens under PhilHealth, while tackling infrastructure and digital health challenges. The Philippine government is ramping up efforts to implement the Universal Health Care...

Panamanian Social Security reform includes unification of health care system
Panama initiated political dialogue on the reform of the social security system. The reform includes health and the unification of the Social Security Fund with the Ministry of Health. This will facilitate the financing of benefits, the purchase of joint medicines and...

ADB to help Uzbekistan establish public-private partnerships to manage 5 specialized hospitals
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will support Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Economy and Finance in implementing a public-private partnership program to manage five specialized hospitals in Tashkent, aiming to enhance healthcare quality and...
Unlocking investment for the transformation of Ukraine’s health-care network
Significant national and international funds offer Ukraine a chance to transform its health system by consolidating hospitals and expanding primary care. The Ministry of Health must urgently establish a strategic capital investment framework, align prioritization...

Reforming Bangladesh health systems for the future
Bangladesh's health sector faces urgent challenges as it approaches the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in achieving Universal Health Coverage. The Health Sector Reform Commission Report 2025 proposes significant constitutional amendments and systemic...
Coverage and predictors of enrollment in the state-supported health insurance schemes in Nigeria: a quantitative multi-site study
This study evaluated the reach and factors influencing enrollment in state-supported health insurance schemes (SSHIS) across six Nigerian states, each representing a different geopolitical zone. Findings showed significant variation in coverage—highest in Kwara State...

Caribbean & Central America knowledge exchange to reform health financing
Caribbean and Central American senior health officials met in Washington D.C. in June 2023 to discuss health financing and explore ways to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). Country leaders, health officials, policymakers, experts, and...
Tajikistan: health system review 2025
The health system in Tajikistan operates under a centralized governance structure, primarily managed by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, with the public sector serving as the main provider of health services. Despite efforts to reform and improve...
