On October 16, 2025, the World Bank Group, the Government of Japan, and the World Health Organization announced the launch of the Health Works Leaders Coalition. The coalition is a global partnership that brings together health and finance ministers, philanthropic organizations, business leaders, leaders of global health agencies, and civil society representatives. Its goal is to encourage investments in health systems to support economic growth, job creation, and resilience.
The Health Works Leaders Coalition is a key part of the broader Health Works initiative, which is led by the World Bank Group and its partners. The initiative aims to help countries provide quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030.
According to the organizers, the coalition is focused on mobilizing both domestic and international investments, supporting reform, and aligning partners around scalable, government-led priorities. It is not a funding mechanism, but rather a coordinated effort to promote significant action on health reform globally.
At the inaugural meeting, which took place during the World Bank Group Annual Meetings, it was announced that an initial group of 21 countries will create National Health Compacts. These government-led agreements will set out reforms, investment priorities, and shared accountability, aiming to unlock resources for expanding access to healthcare.
Examples of reform priorities include free health checkups and the expansion of health insurance in Indonesia, as well as a pharmaceutical strategy in Mexico intended to create 60,000 jobs through private sector partnerships.
The first National Health Compacts, which include countries from various income levels and regions, are expected to be formally launched at the UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo in December 2025.
Additionally, the Government of Japan introduced the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo, which will support policymakers from developing countries through capacity-building and knowledge sharing. Eight countries were named as the first participants in this program: Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Members of the Health Works Leaders Coalition include Egypt, Ethiopia, GAVI (The Vaccine Alliance), Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, Seed Global Health, Sierra Leone, St. Lucia, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the United Kingdom, WACI Health, and the Wellcome Trust.
Countries involved in the first National Health Compacts are Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines, St. Lucia, Sierra Leone, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Zambia.