Nagaland on Tuesday hosted the inaugural Health Financing Forum for Cross-State Learning in the Northeast Region, bringing together policymakers, health experts and officials to deliberate on financial reforms needed to strengthen healthcare systems in the region.
The two-day forum (October 7–8), held at Zone Niathu by The Park, Dimapur, is jointly organized by the Government of Nagaland and the World Bank.
Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, who graced the inaugural programme as Special Guest, said effective health financing was key to building accessible and equitable healthcare, stressing that reforms must focus on both mobilizing and efficiently utilizing resources.
“The forum provides a vital platform to exchange ideas and experiences that will help the region move towards universal health coverage,” Zeliang said, highlighting the need for a holistic approach connecting infrastructure, manpower, financing, and governance.
He acknowledged the World Bank’s partnership through the Nagaland Health Project, which introduced the Result-Based Financing (RBF) model, improving accountability and incentivizing measurable outcomes in service delivery.
Zeliang also released the FinHealth Assessment Report, which analyses the health financing landscape of the Northeast and recommends reforms. He urged participating states to develop collaborative, innovative strategies tailored to regional realities, while prioritizing preventive and primary care to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure.
Anoop Khinchi, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary of Health & Family Welfare, said the forum marked “a significant milestone in Nagaland’s journey towards strengthening health systems, improving healthcare outcomes, and building resilient communities.” He emphasized the importance of cross-learning among states and adopting evidence-based policies to make health financing more responsive and efficient.
He also elaborated on the RBF model being implemented in Nagaland, which links financial resources to performance indicators and measurable outcomes, improving financial discipline and accountability to ensure public funds deliver tangible health results.
Marion Cros, Senior Health Specialist, World Bank, delivered the context setting and outlined the forum’s objectives. She lauded the North-Eastern states for their resilience and innovation in addressing healthcare challenges despite difficult terrain, limited resources, and low per capita spending.
Cros highlighted that states like Nagaland and Mizoram have initiated universal health insurance schemes to reduce financial hardship, while Assam and Meghalaya are piloting results-based payment systems in primary healthcare. She said the forum was an opportunity to build on these initiatives through dialogue, sharing strategies, and identifying areas for stronger collaboration and capacity building.