Official Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Development of a National Health Insurance: Roles and Functions in Supporting Universal Health Coverage in Middle-Income Countries

The Official Opening Ceremony of the Seminar on Development of a National Health Insurance: Roles and Functions in Supporting Universal Health Coverage in Middle-Income Countries, organised by the Asia Pacific Network for Health Systems Strengthening (ANHSS) in collaboration with Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), was held on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, at Dewan Khalid Kadir, HCTM.

The opening ceremony was officiated by YBhg. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Hanafiah Harunarashid, Pro Vice-Chancellor of UKM Kuala Lumpur Campus. The ANHSS, a network comprising nine institutions in collaboration with the World Bank Institute, has been active for over 15 years in strengthening health systems across Asia through knowledge exchange and capacity development.

In his speech, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Hanafiah emphasized that in Asia, healthcare is recognised as a fundamental human right. He noted that the pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC) continues despite challenges such as rising costs and workforce limitations. He also highlighted the commendable progress in health performance across Southeast Asia, which must be maintained and further enhanced. Additionally, he emphasized the crucial role of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in shaping the future of healthcare systems, while cautioning that their adoption must be approached carefully to prevent unintended inequalities and biases.

Also present at the ceremony were YBhg. Prof. Dr. Laksono Trisnantoro, Director of the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, and Chair of the Seminar; YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Azmi Baharudin, Director of HCTM; YBhg. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Nasir Shafiee, Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation), representing the Dean of the UKM Faculty of Medicine, YBhg. Prof. Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, Dean of the Centre for Citra Studies and Chair of ANHSS Malaysia; YBhg. Prof. Dr. Azimatun Noor Aizuddin, Head of the Centre for Health Informatics, along with senior officers and seminar participants.