News & Events


NEWS August 14, 2025

CCG Newsletter Spotlight: Dr. Kurudeven Tamil Chelvan, CCG Coordinator, Malaysia

JLN Network Manager

We are delighted to shine a spotlight on Dr. Kurudeven Tamil Chelvan, a pivotal member of the JLN Country Core Group (CCG) Coordinator Team for Malaysia. Dr. Chelvan’s dedication to healthcare reform and his insightful contributions have significantly strengthened Malaysia’s engagement with global knowledge and local practice. A Journey Rooted in Service and Vision  Dr. Chelvan currently serves as a dental officer at the Health Transformation Office (HTO), Ministry of Health Malaysia, building on invaluable experiences from the National Health Financing Section and frontline service in the Pahang State Health Department. These early experiences provided him with a profound understanding of the challenges faced by healthcare implementers and underserved communities. His passion has evolved towards health policy, behavioural change, and enhancing healthcare access for marginalized populations. Dr. Chelvan firmly believes in the power of strategic reform to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable healthcare system. His current national-level work consistently deepens his understanding of the critical interplay between planning, policy implementation, and system transformation. Beyond his professional life, Dr. Chelvan finds rejuvenation in nature, whether hiking or exploring quiet trails. He also possesses a creative flair, drawn to music, visual storytelling, and design. He views the arts not only as a refreshing pursuit but also as a means to cultivate empathy and critical thinking—qualities he deems essential for both healthcare quality improvement and public policy. Bridging Global Insights with Local Practice as a JLN Institutional Coordinator  As a CCG Coordinator for Malaysia, Dr. Chelvan plays a crucial role in facilitating internal discussions for new collaboratives, cross-divisional meetings, and technical engagement sessions. He is also instrumental in disseminating JLN knowledge products to a wider audience through internal platforms and the Ministry’s postmaster system, enhancing awareness among healthcare personnel nationwide. This coordination role effectively positions him as a vital link between global knowledge and local application, ensuring that valuable insights are not just shared, but meaningfully applied to Malaysia’s health priorities. Key Lessons in Driving Meaningful Reform  Dr. Chelvan emphasizes that meaningful reform necessitates both strategic direction and operational flexibility. He highlights that effective change is driven by strong leadership commitment coupled with the empowerment of implementation-level officers to experiment, adapt, and reflect. His team has found that integrating peer learning and cross-country experiences into local contexts is most impactful when diverse perspectives are engaged early, procedural rigidity is reduced, and open channels for dialogue across units are maintained. A Memorable Highlight: Enhancing Visibility and Engagement  A significant achievement for Dr. Chelvan was the successful enhancement of internal visibility for the JLN knowledge platform. By strategically promoting resources during key planning periods and sharing them via the Ministry’s internal communications, there was a notable increase in interest and engagement across divisions. This experience underscored the power of structured dissemination in fostering broader institutional uptake. It also reinforced his conviction that achieving person-centred care requires integrating often-overlooked areas, such as oral health, into broader health system reforms. Despite the challenge of balancing competing operational priorities, Dr. Chelvan’s steady coordination and receptiveness to feedback have successfully maintained momentum and promoted the enduring value of collective learning. Thank you for your dedication, expertise, and advocacy, Dr. Chelvan! Your work is making a significant impact on global health security.

NEWS

New Country Member – Welcoming South Sudan to the JLN Family

JLN Network Manager

South Sudan  The Joint Learning Network for UHC is growing! Help us extend a warm welcome to our newest member, South Sudan!  Officially known as the Republic of South Sudan, it is Africa’s youngest nation, having gained independence on 9 July 2011. It became a full member of the East African Community on 5 September 2016, making it one of the eight member states. South Sudan is a landlocked country with an estimated population of 14.7 million (2023) spread across 619,745 km². While English is the official language, Arabic and indigenous languages such as Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, and Shilluk are widely spoken.  The government is steadfastly committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and has made significant progress over the years. Their vision is a nation where all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status, can access quality healthcare without financial hardship. With support from the WHO and other partners, the Ministry of Health is actively rolling out the Boma Health Initiative (BHI). This initiative aims to deliver a free and quality health package of care to communities, especially in hard-to-reach areas lacking health services.   Post-conflict, the ministry is dedicated to strengthening its health system through policy development, multi-stakeholder coordination, and capacity building to establish a resilient healthcare system. Collaboration with other government bodies, NGOs, and international organizations is crucial in defining a roadmap for UHC and addressing systemic challenges such as limited healthcare infrastructure, inadequate funding, and workforce shortages.   Furthermore, the government has expressed its commitment to providing the necessary leadership to significantly decrease maternal and child mortality. The focus is on three (3) UHC priority areas:  Expanding Access to Primary Healthcare: Strengthening community-based health systems to ensure essential services reach remote and marginalized populations.  Health Financing: Developing sustainable financing mechanisms, such as pooled funding and insurance schemes, to reduce out-of-pocket expenditures and enhance affordability.  Workforce Development: Building a trained healthcare workforce by investing in education, training programs, and retention strategies for health professionals.  As South Sudan joins the JLN family, it aims to leverage JLN’s expertise and resources for designing a UHC roadmap tailored to South Sudan’s needs, fostering partnerships that provide technical and financial support for health system strengthening, and sharing South Sudan’s early experiences in UHC implementation to contribute to collective knowledge.   Immediate areas of learning include:  Understanding Health Financing Models: Exploring practical approaches to designing and implementing equitable healthcare financing mechanisms suitable for low-resource settings.  Strengthening Service Delivery: Learning strategies to scale up primary healthcare services and integrate innovative technologies for healthcare access.  Policy and Governance: Gaining insights into effective policy frameworks and governance structures for UHC implementation.  Please join us in welcoming the Republic of South Sudan to the JLN family! 

NEWS January 21, 2025

Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) roll-out in Nigeria

Web Master

JLN Strategic Communications Practical Guide & Planning Tool was used in Nigeria to operationalize the BHCPF.   

NEWS

Institutionalizing Medical Audits in India

Web Master

JLN Medical Audit Toolkit was adapted to design A decentralized audit system and scaled across states.