Training workshop on measuring financial protection for Universal Health Coverage held in Nepal

Kathmandu, Bagmati province - The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP), with support from WHO Country Office for Nepal and in collaboration with WHO Headquarters and WHO South East Asia Regional Office, conducted a three-day training workshop on measuring financial protection for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) from 17-19 February. Participants included officials from the Ministry of Health and Population, National Planning Commission, National Statistical Office, Nepal Health Research Council, Health Insurance Board, National Center for AIDS and STD Control, National Public Health Laboratory, Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division and provincial Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Development; development partners like GIZ and Asian Development Bank; and academia. The participants were of diverse background such as health financing practitioners, public health data analysts and statisticians. With WHO South-East Asia Region, which includes Nepal, having the highest share of out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending globally, the training strengthened Nepal’s capacity to produce, interpret, use data and advocate for financial protection in advancing progress toward UHC.