Tenders are invited for On-site national consultancy to support the National Health Insurance reforms

On-site national consultancy to support the National Health Insurance reforms BACKGROUND Lao PDR is entering the transition period for the health sector in terms of economic, demographic, and epidemiological, and climate transition, and now a new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the value of health and resilient health systems, the interconnectedness of health and economy, and the importance of investment in health. The COVI D-19 pandemic and its containment and mitigation measures have also disrupted global supply chain and economic activities. The COVI D-19 pandemic has a negative impact on health financing in the health sector as well. Higher unemployment may reduce contributions to social protection schemes. The government needs to finance the COVI D-19 response while also maintaining essential health services. The government has limited fiscal space for health with decreases in government revenue due to economic downturns (revenue shocks), increases in government expenditure in response to COVI D-19 (expenditure shocks), and high government debt burden. In line with the Health Financing Strategy 2021-2025 which was recently endorsed, the draft National Health Insurance Strategy 2021-2025 has been updated and developed to reflect ongoing discussions on the national health insurance reform and the impact of COVI D-19 and donor transition. In the coming years, the implementation of the National Health Insurance Strategy 2021-2025 will be a priority of the government of Lao PDR. WHO is asked to provide technical support to facilitate and support the implementation of the Strategy, including improving legal and policy framework of NHI, strengthening financial independence, accountability, and sustainability of NHI fund, strengthening NHIBs institutional capacity and operational effectiveness and efficiency, and improving quality of health services through strategic purchasing. This consultancy will be important to support urgent needs of MOH in moving forward strategic health financing in the context of donor transition, the COVI D-19 pandemic and beyond. PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY To support the Ministry of Health to pursue national health insurance reforms to improve efficiency, equity, accountability and sustainability of the national health insurance scheme in Lao PDR towards Universal Health Coverage in the context of donor transition, the COVI D-19 pandemic and beyond.