Korea agreed to support National Health Insurance Support Project in Nepal. Nepal and Korea  signed an agreement  on this issue. Choe Yong-jin, South Korean Ambassador and Yuba Raj Bhusal, Finance Secretary signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments.

The Korean Government through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will support US$ 4.5 million until 2017 for this project. In line with the Nepal government’s national health insurance policy and design, which intends to provide healthcare services for all families at an affordable cost, the project aims to contribute to achieving universal health coverage through providing technical support for the preparation of the National Health Insurance Scheme as well as support in enhancing the capacity of relevant stakeholders in health insurance sector. And simultaneously, it will support in implementing the health insurance scheme in Kailali district.  

Besides this, the project includes variety of other activities like comprehensive district assessment of Kailali, community mobilization, national health insurance enrollment campaigns, health facility strengthening to deliver quality health care services, district level orientation, training and etc..

During the signing ceremony Choe Yong- jin stressed that the lessons learned from implementing this project in Kailali can be meaningful for the government while implementing the program in other districts. Similarly, he hoped for a healthy Nepal where all citizens have equal access to quality health care. Mr. Yuba Raj Bhusal, Finance Secretary also informed that Nepal Government strongly desires for the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nepal and stressed the importance of Health insurance program as an important means for the UHC similarly he mentioned that very soon the program will be scaled up throughout the nation and thanked Korean Government for the assistance in the national health insurance program.

According to a press release issued by Embassy of Korea, since 1996 KOICA has been supporting in health sector with various development assistance projects.  In close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Population, KOICA has also been actively involved in community based health insurance program and has implemented pilot program in field level. KOICA has also joined the Technical Working Group for the National Health Insurance in 2011.  Health being one the prioritized area of KOICA, it is committed to increase its support in the coming days.