Social health protection - affordable health insurance or government-funded health services - aims to provide adequate benefit packages to protect against the risk of ill health and related financial burden and catastrophe. It is crucial in poverty reduction and access to essential health care. The importance and potential of social protection and social health protection in reducing poverty and inequalities and contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable economic development is recognized in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

In low-income countries an estimated 90 per cent of people have no financial protection against catastrophic health expenditures. Globally, about 39 per cent of the population is lacking such coverage. As a result, about 40 per cent of health expenditures globally are shouldered directly by the sick and their families. Asia is one of the two regions in the world which accounts for 97 per cent of the world’s population impoverished by out-of-pocket health spending –with Asia having the highest rate of impoverishment at the US$1.90-a-day poverty line -1.9 per cent.

However Peace, sustained economic growth and political commitment have led to major progress on social health protection in countries across the region, in terms of coverage, but also in relation to systems strengthening, legal reform and financial sustainability.

The Project has for overall goal to help more women and men in Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Viet Nam access adequate social health protection, under the overall umbrella of national strategies toward UHC and the global development agenda including ILO's Flagship Programme on Social Protection Floors.

Connect for social Health Proection (CONNECT)

Officially established in 2020 through successfull collaboration efforts between expert institutions in Thailand, South Korea, Viet Nam and with the support of the ILO, CONNECT is a pioneering multi-stakeholder association of expert organizations and development partners in the Asia Pacific region, working together to bridge the gaps in Social Health Protection.

Its mandate is to strengthen the capacity of countries in the region to develop and implement strong, sustainable and comprehensive policies, strategies and systems for Social Health Protection as a contribution to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

As a regional centre of excellence it aims to provide and promote good practices, leadership and joint research opportunities, deliver short and long-term training opprtunities and support advocacy and awareness-raising efforts in the region. In an effort to increase regional capacity and knowledge on social protection, the facility will promote South-South cooperation initiatives as a complement to on-going national efforts and in support to already existing national policies.