The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new regional network to help countries across Asia and the Pacific move closer to universal health coverage, according to a press release. The Universal Health Coverage Practitioners and Experts Knowledge Exchange and Resources (UHC PEERS) network was announced by ADB President Masato Kanda at the INSPIRE Health Systems Forum, which brought together health ministers and officials from over 25 countries.
Mr. Kanda put it plainly: “Achieving universal health coverage is not something that we can delay further, and it is within our reach if we work together to build a region where everyone, everywhere, has access to the care they need, without financial hardship.” He called universal health coverage the core of strong, fair, and lasting growth.
The UHC PEERS network is designed as a practical platform for countries to swap ideas and share real-world fixes for reaching people who still have no reliable health care. Right now, more than 1 billion people in Asia and the Pacific can’t get basic health services, and millions are pushed into poverty by medical bills. The network will help countries learn from each other—on everything from health financing and service delivery to reaching remote communities and working with private providers.
ADB says UHC PEERS will work alongside the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo, giving countries more ways to connect and learn. Peer exchanges will focus on what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid common mistakes. Mr. Kanda also highlighted the economic payoff: “Every $1 invested in primary health care yields up to $10 in economic growth.”
The launch comes as countries in the region face growing health pressures, from aging populations to rising rates of chronic disease and ongoing infectious threats. The INSPIRE Health Forum, which runs for five days, is also looking at pandemic readiness and health system resilience, building on lessons from COVID-19. Through ministerial talks, innovation showcases, and new partnerships, the forum aims to collect best practices for ADB’s future health work.
