Since the recommendations from the Ise-Shima G7 Summit in May 2016 and TICAD VI in August 2016, along with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum held in Tokyo in December 2017, the PHRD UHC Window has played a role in accelerating progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030. This initiative has enabled countries to share practical lessons on advancing UHC.
The primary goal of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Window is to expedite progress towards UHC and health security as key components of the Tokyo Joint UHC Initiative. It aims to provide analytical and advisory services, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Drawing from its extensive experience with Universal Health Coverage, Japan has prioritized global health within its international diplomacy for decades. In 2011, marking the 50th anniversary of Japan's achievement of universal health coverage, the Government of Japan (GoJ) collaborated with the World Bank Group (WBG) on a multi-country study. This study shared experiences from various countries at different stages of adopting strategies for UHC. The findings were compiled into publications titled "Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: A Synthesis of 11 Country Case Studies" and "Universal Health Coverage for Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Lessons from Japan." These studies have provided valuable insights for responding to growing demand from LMICs seeking to design their own strategies for achieving UHC.
At the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Ise-Shima, Japan in May 2016, Japan led a declaration on the “Vision for Global Health,” emphasizing that health is foundational to economic prosperity and security.
The PHRD UHC program was established in 2016 based on recommendations from the Ise-Shima G7 Summit. Its aim is to promote UHC in developing countries by incorporating findings from GoJ-WBG joint studies conducted between 2011-2013. The program provides analytical support to help LMICs develop strategies and capacities necessary for adopting and maintaining UHC. Attaining this goal requires investment in pandemic preparedness and strengthening health systems. The PHRD UHC assists governments through advisory services, collaborating with organizations like WHO.
The country program grant structure focuses on two priority areas: Policy Analysis & Advisory Services and Institutional Capacity Building & Implementation Support.
Technical areas supported include:
(i) Health financing
(ii) Human resources for health
(iii) Breakthrough innovations
(iv) Private sector engagement
(v) Ageing & Long-Term Care
(vi) Climate-Health Nexus/Disaster Risk Management
Support for Pandemic Preparedness was discontinued due to other funding resources becoming available.
The PHRD UHC Phases I-II included grants totaling $18.6 million across 32 projects; Phase III comprises $29 million over 51 grants. Forty-five grants have closed while nineteen remain active until June 30, 2026.
Phase IV launched recently supports activities contributing further toward regional health strategies alongside an enhanced partnership program focused on achieving universal healthcare coverage globally.