On January 13, 2026, Dr. Haruka Sakamoto, Senior Manager at Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), delivered a lecture titled “Assessing Japan’s UHC from the Perspective of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health ~ What Japan can tell us” as part of the training program “Maternal Continuum of Care and UHC,” hosted by JOICEF.

The training program, centered on maternal and child health, aimed to deepen understanding toward building sustainable health systems. It was attended by eight central and regional government officials from six countries: Burundi, Georgia, Ghana, Nepal, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In her lecture, Ms. Sakamoto explained how Japan’s maternal and child health policies have contributed to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). She highlighted distinctive initiatives such as the community health nurse system and the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, which have supported efficient and comprehensive service delivery. The session focused on four of the six UHC components—Leadership & Governance, Health Financing, Human Resources, and Service Delivery—providing analytical perspectives to help participants identify and address country-specific challenges.

During the Q&A session, participants raised practical questions grounded in their national contexts, leading to an active and constructive discussion. Several participants noted that Japan’s experiences offered valuable, adaptable examples for strengthening maternal and child health services in their own countries.

HGPI will continue to contribute to the advancement of maternal and child health and the promotion of UHC through ongoing international collaboration and knowledge exchange.