Universal health coverage and health resilience must advance equality and inclusion and meet the needs of all people.

Lucas de Toca, Ronald Upenyu Mutasa |

The World Bank leveraged the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Trust Fund to help the Lao PDR improve healthcare waste and wastewater management through the COVID-19 Emergency Response…

Rieko Kubota, Emiko Masaki, Mahoko Kamatsuchi, Pham Ngoc Bao |

COVID-19 has been a global catastrophe killing millions, damaging economies, and impairing human development. Yet, the pandemic has also been a catalyst for much needed health system reform,…

Aparnaa Somanathan, Trina Haque, Feng Zhao |

The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases is pressuring countries and health systems in the Caribbean at a rate of epidemic proportions.

Lilia Burunciuc, Timothy Antoine |

A World Bank study of 1,900 Lao citizens found 1/3 burn waste at home, while 2/3 use waste-collection, recycle or reuse. A 3rd have no access to waste-collection services. Improved access to waste…

Ailin Tomio, Maurice Andres Rawlins, Kaysone Vongthavilay, Daniel Alejandro Pinzón Hernández , Renos Vakis |

The Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens the uneven recovery of East Asia and Pacific. The invasion comes on top of the economic distress caused by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, the financial…

Aaditya Mattoo, Ekaterine T. Vashakmadze, Ergys Islamaj |

COVID-19 vaccination rates are low in PNG; in fact, some of – if not, the – lowest in East Asia Pacific. Supply of vaccines was an issue at first, and issues with health infrastructure are an…

Christopher Hoy, Terence Wood, Ellen Moscoe |

A new World Bank report, Environmental Challenges for Green Growth and Poverty Reduction: A Country Environmental Analysis for the Lao PDR analyzes the environmental challenges most closely linked…

Ernesto Sanchez-Triana |

As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2021, we are about a year into an unprecedented health and economic crisis that has destroyed lives and livelihoods globally and in the East Asia and…

Victoria Kwakwa |

The world is facing both a health and an economic crisis due to COVID-19. This threatens progress towards universal health coverage – a policy commitment of the United Nations’ Sustainable…

Wayne Irava, Ajay Tandon |