Asia Health

Thailand is a health leader in South-east Asia. Not only is it strong on the domestic side, with more than 99% of the population receiving free health care, but it is also a highly competitive destination for medical tourism. Heavy investment continues in the sector. Hospital groups are raising funds and expanding, mergers are being undertaken...

Thailand has a long tradition of valuing education, with 12 years of free schooling, a high literacy rate and a government that invests substantially in the sector. Yet the educational system is not functioning as well as it should, nor are the resources committed achieving the desired results. According to the 2014-15 World Economic Forum (...

In June 2013 the passage of the National Health Insurance Act of 2013 extended the national health insurance scheme, PhilHealth, to all Filipinos. As of the end of 2014, 86m Filipinos, or 87% of the population, were covered by PhilHealth. Universal coverage is the government’s ultimate goal.

The health care sector is experiencing a time of growth and adjustment. As the government proceeds with its goal of providing universal health care to the population, both the public and the private health sectors as well as pharmaceutical companies are modifying their systems and forward planning accordingly in order to align with...

Climate and weather significantly affect human health, and even relatively minor changes to a country’s climate can exacerbate and spread disease and multiply deaths. Worse, extreme weather events can greatly undermine a country’s clean water and food supplies, infrastructure, health systems and social protection systems. Between 2030 and 2050...

With an increasing need for human capital, the government of Myanmar has made the overhauling of the education system a national priority. With an enlarged budget, a new national education law and the removal of public school fees, major reform of the entire education sector is well under way. However, significant challenges remain.