The Global Health Education Program (G-HEP) designed to foster global health human resources among young professionals with the theme “Solving Health Issues for COVID-19 and Urban Migration” concluded its second lecture. G-HEP is a joint program organized by the Health and Global Policy Institute and Mahidol University, Faculty of Public Health in Thailand.

On 10 March 2021 we welcomed Dr. Masami Fujita and Dr. Hiroyuki Kiyohara, both from the Bureau of International Health Cooperation at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM). Their lectures focused on Japan’s health system and COVID-19 response.

Dr. Kiyohara went first to present a comprehensive overview of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Japan, giving a detailed explanation of the mechanism of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, its scope of application and costs. He also pointed out the issues surrounding welfare recipients and the current situation in which vulnerable groups such as migrants do not always benefit from UHC in Japan.

Dr. Fujita followed with his presentation to explain in more context the barriers to health care in Japan among migrants, in particular, technical intern trainees who may face difficult situations of transition. He also shared the results of a fact-finding survey of migrants who are in a more vulnerable position under the spread of COVID-19, and the efforts that are being made to improve access to health care information and services based on the results from that survey.

Our next lecture on Community Health will take place April 14th.

■ Program Lectures
1) Thailand’s Health System and COVID-19 (complete)
2) Japan’s Health System and COVID-19 (complete)
3) Community Health
4) Health Technology
5) Global Health
6) Migrant Health
7) Quantitative and Qualitative Research
8) Policy Recommendations and Advocacy

■About Mahidol University
Mahidol University is the number one university in Thailand for medical education and the first public health academic institution in Thailand.

Vision:
 Be a leader in promoting population health through being a health literate faculty in ASEAN countries by 2021.
Mission:
 1. To offer an outcome based public health education through being a health literate faculty.
 2. To be visible as a leader in public health education, integrative and innovative research, professional academic services on the basis of good governance to promote health and longevity and the betterment of mankind.