Access to health care in East Asia and the Pacific is playing a key role in improving human capital, job opportunities, and community resilience. The region faces ongoing health challenges, including high rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), persistent communicable diseases, and child malnutrition. Disparities in access to care remain, particularly for women and children in remote areas.
Investments in health systems have improved access to essential services across many countries. Women and children are now more likely to receive maternal care and immunizations. People with NCDs benefit from better-equipped facilities using modern technologies for assessments and ongoing care. Health workers are also receiving additional training, which increases their competitiveness in the job market.
The World Bank Group (WBG) and its partners support these efforts, aiming to build stronger health systems as a driver of economic growth. "The World Bank supports significant investments in health as a driver of human capital and economic growth. Key initiatives focus on strengthening health systems to expand access to quality services such as nutrition, maternal and child health and NCDs. At the same time, the World Bank generates new knowledge to inform policymakers on key reforms and provides technical assistance for implementation," according to the organization.
The private sector is also involved through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which works with governments to promote innovation, efficiency, technology adoption, and best practices in healthcare delivery.
With an active regional health portfolio valued at $42.2 billion, the World Bank supports several country-level projects:
- In Indonesia, a $4 billion project co-financed by multilateral banks aims to equip public health facilities nationwide with life-saving equipment. Additional initiatives have expanded insurance coverage to 230 million people and reduced child stunting rates significantly between 2018 and 2024.
- Cambodia's Nutrition Project has supported government reforms that increased local control over service delivery and funded recruitment of thousands of village health workers—most of them women.
- In the Philippines, projects target nutrition services at primary care level while strengthening emergency preparedness across provinces.
- The Pacific Islands have seen projects focused on primary/secondary care for rural populations; upgrades include new hospitals in Kiribati and Tuvalu.
- Papua New Guinea has improved TB treatment outcomes above global standards while expanding hospital infrastructure during COVID-19.
- In Marshall Islands, families with young children receive cash transfers alongside nutrition support.
- The Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation Project addresses NCDs across eight countries; it includes modernization of healthcare facilities such as a new regional hospital in Fiji.
Between 2020–2024, approximately 340,000 people benefited from better healthcare access in Kiribati, Samoa, and Tuvalu. In Samoa alone, district facilities screened over 70% of adults for hypertension/diabetes across many districts.
Lao PDR is using a multisectoral approach across five projects targeting villages with high stunting rates among children under two years old.
In Myanmar, the World Bank’s strategy supports basic service delivery for vulnerable communities amid conflict.
China’s “One Health” approach integrates human-animal-environmental health responses against emerging infectious diseases through targeted projects.
Private sector mobilization remains important: "In FY25, IFC committed over $385.1 million of long-term funding to the health sector in projects ranging from pharmaceutical to medtech manufacturing and distribution in the region. These investments focus on strengthening local manufacturing, increasing access to quality pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and supporting the growth of affordable, quality, and resilient health systems."
Under Indonesia’s Health Sector Growth Program—a partnership between IFC and Indonesia’s Ministry of Health—early-stage support is provided for private organizations working on pharmaceuticals or medical technology.
Health-related investments are expected to generate employment: "For instance, over the investment period EAP FY25 health projects could create 3,000 direct jobs and 330 indirect jobs."
The WBG also contributes knowledge through research shared via its Knowledge Repository. The World Bank Group academy offers strategic learning programs aimed at helping government officials implement development solutions; one recent course brought together policymakers from several Pacific Island nations.
Learning from other countries’ experiences—such as Korea’s approach to reforming its own system—is encouraged by WBG resources online.
"Knowledge can also be learned from countries’ experiences. For example, Korea’s journey in health system reforms offers many useful lessons for others navigating their own health system transformations," states the release.