The Institute of Health Economics (IHE) of the University of Dhaka organised an international conference from 12 to 13 September, 2023, to discuss achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. The event served as a platform for sharing global experiences and strategies aimed at overcoming obstacles to UHC progress, with a focus on healthcare financing, social insurance, emerging diseases, community-based healthcare, and a dedicated plenary session on accelerating UHC progress in Bangladesh, along with global insights into health sector reform.
Mr ASM Shamim Alam Shibly, Senior Research Associate, CPD, and Ms Jebunnesa (Jeba), Programme Associate, CPD, presented their paper titled “Implementation of the National Social Insurance Scheme (NSIS) under the NSSS: Case of Maternity Insurance” under 
the theme Social Insurance at the conference. The paper was also co-authored by Dr Khandaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director, CPD.
The paper focused on the implementation of maternity insurance under the National Social Insurance Scheme (NSIS), a key component of the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), during its second phase from 2021 to 2026.
Despite a five-year action plan, limited progress has been made within NSIS. The NSIS focuses on four crucial areas — old age, disability, unemployment, and maternity. Maternity insurance is especially important due to rising costs and challenges in maternity care.
The study highlighted the need for comprehensive planning, including intervention opportunities, benefits, eligibility criteria, funding, and legal and operational issues, to successfully implement maternity insurance and improve overall healthcare coverage.