BANGKOK, Thailand (ILO News) – Government officials from around Asia are learning the skills that will help them contribute to the development of social health protection policies in their home countries.
Six students from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Nepal are currently completing their study. Upon return to their institutions, they will put the skills and knowledge they have learned to practice.
Rita Oktafitria, a Claim Advisor from the Indonesian Social Security Agency for Health is currently completing the course. “I hope that after I graduate from this study I can contribute to my country to develop a better health care system,” she said.
For the academic year 2023-24, the project will provide new fellowship opportunities for selected students from the Asia region. The academic programme is part of regional efforts to develop the capacity of decision makers and practitioners in social health protection. The long-term goal is to further strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of health protection systems across the Asia-Pacific region.
“Regardless of the development stage of their social health protection systems, most countries in Asia face growing needs for well-trained policy makers who can respond to the evolving needs and challenges of their countries. Mahidol University and the ILO fellowship programme are filling this gap with this Master’s course,” said Marielle Phe Goursat, ILO Programme Manager.
The course was launched in August 2020 by Mahidol University in collaboration with the ILO. The programme equips students with the necessary practical and analytical skills to design, implement, evaluate, finance and adapt adequate social health protection policies and systems, and support their country in its path towards Universal Health Coverage.
