Towards Universal Health Coverage in Lao PDR: Progresses and Challenges Ahead

There are several challenges facing health insurance coverage in Lao PDR, but there have been positive gains such as some developments on the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) program. Asian Development Bank consultant Mathilde Mailfert provided the rationale, gains, gaps, and lessons learned in implementing NHI in the country.

Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund

The Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund is intended to build the resilience of seven countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Philippines, and Myanmar. Aside from funding projects on early warning systems, flood protection, and urban planning, the Trust Fund also aims to assist those countries in building client resilient health systems. This session focused on how urban health risks and climate change can be systematically addressed through the Fund.

Disabilities: Still Misunderstood!

An important concern for most ADB's Developing Member Countries is the issue of disability, which needs to be re-interpreted away from a medical focus. ADB's Claude Bodart discussed the urgent need for ADB sectors to adapt the environment of cities and elsewhere to enable the growing numbers of disabled to live independently and contribute to society.

This event is part of ADB's in-house Insight Thursday lecture series.

Highlights Video - Eminent Speakers' Forum - Resilience and Sustainability for Asia and the World

Some of the major challenges facing Asia and the rest of the world are on resilience and sustainable development. A new direction for the future orientation of the world economy is needed. Earth Institute’s Jeffrey Sachs makes some observations on what the new development model can look like moving forward.

Preventing Early Marriage in Bondowoso, East Java

Maternal mortality and teenage pregnancy occur significantly more frequently in Indonesia than in neighboring Asia-Pacific countries. It is estimated that 48 of every 1,000 live births in Indonesia in 2015 was to a teenage mother. Teenage pregnancy is also one of the driving causes of maternal mortality, which remains incredibly high throughout the archipelago, with 359 mothers dying for every 100,000 live births.