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5 key themes and 3 core businesses
5 key themes and 3 core businesses
Bureau of International Health Cooperation has set 5 key themes of “health human resources,” “maternal and child health,” “quality of medical services,” “disease control,” and “universal health coverage (UHC).” For each theme, we promote cooperation projects to protect health of people efficiently and effectively by tapping into our 3 core businesses that we have developed for over 30 years.
3 core businesses
- Contribution to global programs
Through various activities, we contribute to the global health programs including eradication initiatives of infectious diseases. - Participatory development and capacity building
We ensure that the people of recipient countries play a major role and implement cooperation activities that draw out the capacity they own. - Aid coordination and harmonization
We support partnerships and coordination mechanisms that facilitate self-directed development putting utmost value to the ownership of the recipient countries.
5 key themes
Health human resources
For realizing equitable provision of health services in developing countries, it is essential to develop adequately qualified health human resources. NCGM develops health human resources through training both overseas and in Japan. In recent years, we not only conduct training but also provide policy assistance regarding institutionalization of health human resource development. In Asia and Africa, we provide technical assistance and policy advices on developing health human resources and streamlining related legal framework.
Maternal and child health
We aim to provide quality and continuous health services to mothers, newborns and children in developing countries which are backed by strong health system. Towards this end, we improve knowledge, skills and motivation of community residents, health workers, facility managers and health administrators. We also improve their environment and institutions through technical assistance, research and network building.
Disease control
In developing countries, various infectious diseases are prevalent due to tropical weather, remoteness and poverty. To counter these diseases, we strive to implement various activities including promotion of immunization and HIV/AIDS care and treatment.
Focusing mainly on Asia and Africa, we conduct field survey and research on HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, influenza, vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and parasitic diseases. Using skills needed to control diseases such as surveillance, service promotion, social mobilization, outbreak response, training management and operational research, we structure ourselves to be able to respond to various infectious diseases in developing countries.
Quality of medical care
Improvement of the quality of medical care is essential for health services in developing countries are trusted and people can access to safe care. Quality of medical care holds many different aspects such as patient safety to prevent health care-related accidents and prevention of health care associated infection (HCAI). For improvement of the quality of care, an organizational culture to grasp the quality status and make it better is required. Japan holds various quality improvement methods derived from manufacturing industry, such as 5S－KAIZEN-TQM. We utilize such methods and are striving to improve the quality of medical care in developing countries.
Universal health coverage (UHC)
Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people can access to quality health services when necessary without facing financial hardship. It is one of the targets of the health-related goal of “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” in Sustainable Development Goals. Aside from all people can receive necessary health care and the service package include all necessary care, reduction of out-of-pocket payment for health care to affordable level through health social security scheme is necessary. NCGM conducts a research on essential conditions to attain UHC, and contributes to the attainment of the UHC through partnership with the international community.