The National Health Insurance Service said it would hold an international training program for healthcare experts from developing countries at President Hotel in central Seoul from April 10-19.

The Korean health insurance agency has been holding the “International Training Course on Social Health Insurance” since 2004 to enhance healthcare workforce in developing countries, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office.

Health insurance has been drawing keen attention from many countries as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included a task to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The demand for the NHIS’ program is on the rise, as healthcare professionals from developing nations at an early stage of the national health insurance are increasingly visiting Korea for training.

In Korea, it took only 12 years for the whole population to subscribe the national health insurance. The unprecedented success in the world is attributed to easy access to quality medical services and advanced ICT (information and communications technology)-based therapeutic techniques.

The NHIS said it would promote Korea’s health insurance system, disseminate its experience of running the system, and support the development of developing countries’ health insurance system.

A total of 582 government officials and experts in healthcare from 57 countries have attended the past 14 annual events. Last year, participants gave 90.2 out of 100 in satisfaction score.

This year, the NHIS invited 41 professionals from 24 countries. The program includes lectures on significant issues in Korea’s healthcare system, a Q&A session, introductions of healthcare systems of participating nations, and debates on the public health system in developing countries.

The training event will also invite experts from World Bank, WHO, and International Social Security Association (ISSA) to share strategies and examples on expanding the population for universal health coverage, prioritizing health coverage expansion and medical reimbursement, and reforming the medical service delivery system.

Trainees will have “Country Presentation” session to introduce their home countries’ health systems and engage in debates.

“With the international training program, we will support the developing countries’ efforts to boost the human capacity to introduce and operate a national health insurance system. We will also play a leading role in the international community so that we can contribute to promoting Korea’s national brand,” an official at the NHIS said.