The World Bank Group, the Government of Japan, and the World Health Organization have jointly launched the Health Works Leaders Coalition — a global alliance that unites health and finance ministers, business and philanthropic leaders, global health agencies, and civil society representatives to champion investments in health systems as a driver of economic growth, job creation, and resilience.
Central to the broader Health Works initiative, led by the World Bank Group and its partners, the Coalition seeks to help countries deliver quality, affordable healthcare to 1.5 billion people by 2030. Rather than serving as a funding body, the Coalition focuses on mobilizing domestic and international investments, catalyzing health reforms, and aligning global efforts behind scalable, government-led priorities.
At its inaugural meeting during the World Bank Group Annual Meetings, 21 countries were announced as the first to develop National Health Compacts—comprehensive, government-led blueprints outlining reforms, investment priorities, and mechanisms to expand access to affordable healthcare. Examples include Indonesia’s plans for free health checkups and expanded health insurance coverage, and Mexico’s pharmaceutical strategy aimed at generating 60,000 jobs through private sector collaboration.
The first set of compacts, representing countries across various income levels and regions, will be formally launched at the UHC High-Level Forum in Tokyo in December 2025.
In addition, the Government of Japan unveiled the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo—an initiative that will support policymakers from developing nations through capacity building and knowledge sharing. The first cohort includes eight participating countries in its inaugural program.
“Strengthening health systems in developing countries depends on cultivating health financing expertise within both health and finance ministries,” said Atsushi Mimura, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of Finance. “Through targeted training programmes, the UHC Knowledge Hub will share Japan’s experience to build institutional capacity and support tangible reforms in health financing.”
“Sharp cuts in overseas aid are impacting health services in many nations,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But affected countries are rising to the challenge, shifting from heavy reliance on overseas assistance to greater ownership over their health systems and futures. We must support countries to mobilize domestic resources for their health systems, especially for primary care services, and to protect the poorest from financial hardship by reducing out-of-pocket spending.”
“Our goal is ambitious: to help countries deliver quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030. No single institution, government, or philanthropist can achieve that alone,” said Ajay Banga, World Bank Group President. “But with aligned purpose and shared effort, it is possible. If we get this right, we can make real impact – improving health, transforming lives, strengthening economies – and creating jobs. This effort is as much an ingredient of our jobs agenda as it is a health initiative.”