Thailand learned UHC management from Japan
 
Thai health officials and experts met with Japan’s health ministry to learn how Japan pursues the financial sustainability of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improves the coverage of health promotion and disease prevention services at a local level.
 
Led by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Thai delegates visited the headquarters of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Tokyo on November 14.
 
Those include Health Permanent Secretary Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr Pongkasem Khaimook, the board members of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and its Secretary-General Dr Jadej Thammatacharee.



The visit was hosted by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) on the basis of the Japan and Thailand Partnership Project for Global Health and Universal Health Coverage Phase 2 (GLO+UHC2), aiming to create a platform for the two countries to exchange ideas and lessons learned to improve health security.
 
Thai delegates were welcomed by Dr Fukushima Yasumasa, Japan's Vice Minister for Health and Chief Medical and Global Health Officer, who presented his government's strategy to manage health finance.
 
He said that Japan had revised its fee schedule system, a listing of items and fees used by health insurers to pay health providers and suppliers, every two years.

 

The revision reflects the advancement of new medical technology and increasing cost of healthcare services.
 
The Japanese government sets a legal and subsidy system that ensures local governments and health insurers to provide health promotion and disease prevention services with their residents and beneficiaries.
 
Dr Yasumasa added that he hoped Japan and Thailand would continue the collaboration to develop the best practices and knowledge for achieving the UHC.
 
Anutin praised Japan for its long-term success in implementing and managing the UHC, which was introduced in the country in 1961.

"Thailand can learn a lot from Japan and adopt its know-how, especially in the area of dealing with an aging society and future emerging diseases," said the public health Minister.



“We’re strongly interested in local government's role in strengthening health promotion and disease prevention.”
 
“Our collaboration will strengthen our role in pushing the health agenda on the global stage,” he said.
 
During the trip, Thai delegates visited National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and the local government administrative office, Kanagawa prefecture and Matsuda town,  to learn how national and local governmental organizations collaborate to ensure health security and design health services that meet the local people's health demands.
 
The visit also showcased Japan’s progress in improving big data management and monitoring and evaluation system and establishing networks to push forward effective health policies.



In 2017, the former Public Health Minister Clinical Professor Emeritus Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn led Thai health officials to visit Japan and brought back the lessons learned from Japan to improve Thailand's health finance.