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Bhutan: Bhutan has made significant evolution in all three dimensions of universal health coverage

2014/04/25

Bhutan has made significant evolution in all three dimensions of universal health coverage, a statement on a recent assessment completed by the country’s Health Ministry has showed.

It says Bhutan’s health system provides additional than 75 % of all health coverage with the majority of its people having access to good-quality services, health workers, medicine and technology at low cost.

Bhutan, as for other nations of the South-East Asia Region, presently needs to strengthen efforts to counter the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, particularly through preventive activities that are low-cost and sustainable,” said World

Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singh in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

She was speaking in her initial official visit to Bhutan as the WHO South-East Asia Regional Organization (SEARO) director to attend the Conference on Advancing Universal Health Coverage in South-East Asia in Paro, Bhutan.

International public health experts, development agencies and academics attended the conference to share experiences and identify quick wins for universal health coverage.

Khetrapal Singh prioritized universal health coverage and robust health systems in her vision statement as one of four strategic areas for WHO’s work in the region.

Other strategic areas in her vision statement include addressing persisting and emerging epidemiological and demographic challenges; strengthening emergency risk management for sustainable development; and articulating a strong regional voice in world health.

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