The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) said Monday that it began to help establish a health insurance system in the Kailali region of Nepal on Feb. 3. NHIS will continue its support program for about three months until the end of April.

The Nepalese government has expanded and stabilized the health insurance system to accomplish universal health coverage. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) consigned the project on behalf of the Nepalese government and NHIS has been consigned to operate it since June 2019.

Officials from the National Health Insurance Service offer an education session to help local journalists have a better understanding of the health insurance system, in Kailali, Nepal, on Feb. 3.

NHIS plans to provide policy consultation, enhance the insurance officials’ capacity, study ways to increase admission and renewal rate, and help implement health insurance through November.

Kailali is a backward area of ​​Sudurpashchim, one of Nepal's seven provincial governments, and first to operate a health insurance pilot program by KOICA in 2016.

The local health insurance coverage ratio was 17.6 percent as of Dec. 31, 2019, higher than the national average of 9.4 percent but requiring promotion for improved awareness.

NHIS said it would help enhance the capacity of health insurance officials until late April, and monitor the progress of the project, conduct various PR programs to raise consciousness about health insurance in the South Asian country until the end of November.

"We will do our best to help Nepalese people understand the importance of health insurance and enjoy practical benefits from it through education, worker training, and promotion," the NHIS said.

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