As part of the cordial cooperation framework, a delegation from the Faculty of Public Health, Jenderal Soedirman University, Indonesia visited the Hanoi School of Public Health on the 29^th and 30^th of September 2016.

 

The seminar namely "Expanding health insurance coverage to the informal sector in Vietnam and Indonesia" was formally held in the Grand Meeting Hall, 2nd floor of Hanoi School of Public Health on 29/09. The seminar was attended by Dr. Budi Aji together with senior researchers from Jenderal Soedirman University, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Van Minh - Deputy Dean of Hanoi School of Public Health and staff, faculty, researchers, graduate students of the Hanoi School of Public Health, Health Management Training Institute, Hanoi Medical University,...

 

At the seminar, the two sides shared valuable findings and learnt lessons on expanding health insurance coverage to the informal sector including: development process of health insurance policies for the informal sector, challenges in the implementation of extending coverage to informal workers in Vietnam and Indonesia and some policy recommendations to extend health insurance to the informal sector in the two countries. The Indonesian delegates also shared some insights related to social capital and community-based schemes to implement universal health insurance through empowering health care service providers and other stakeholders in the rural area to increase NHI membership. The discussion then turned to a macro issue about the possibility of tax-based premium collection for informal sector, barriers and enabling factors in both Indonesia and Vietnam.

 

On the following day 30^th September, the Indonesian delegation visited the Hoa Binh Provincial Health Department. Organization leaders and staff of the department warmly welcomed the guests. Here, the two sides had a fruitful discussion on the practical situation of health insurance coverage of the province, especially among the ​​informal workers. Reportedly, Hoa Binh is one of the provinces with the best practices for health insurance coverage, hence the coverage rate here is very high up to 94.3%.

 

 

 

Source: Center for Population Health Sciences (CPHS) - Hanoi University of Public Health