ADB Urged to Update Health Strategy to Tackle New Challenges in Asia-Pacific

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is being called upon to sharpen its strategic focus on health in Asia and the Pacific, following the release of a new evaluation by the Independent Evaluation Department (IED). The assessment, which reviews the period from 2011 to 2024, concludes that while ADB has made important strides in reengaging with the health sector, a clearer vision and updated framework are needed to respond to the region’s evolving health demands.

Progress and Emerging Challenges

The evaluation highlights significant health achievements across the region over the past decade:

• Declines in child and maternal mortality rates.

• Expanded immunization coverage.

• Increased recognition of health as a key development priority in ADB’s country strategies.

Yet, the region now faces new and complex health risks:

• A surge in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

• Rising public expectations for universal access to affordable healthcare.

• Rapidly aging populations in several member countries.

• Persistent disparities in access to healthcare, which the COVID-19 pandemic further widened.

“The pandemic exposed structural vulnerabilities in health systems, underscoring the need for long-term resilience,” the report noted.

ADB’s Response During the Pandemic

IED Director General Emmanuel Jimenez praised ADB’s agility during COVID-19, highlighting its ability to mobilize resources quickly and coordinate across sectors. Emergency financing and pandemic support operations demonstrated ADB’s potential to be a responsive and innovative health partner.

“ADB’s ability to mobilize resources quickly and coordinate across sectors during the pandemic was a clear demonstration of its operational responsiveness,” said Jimenez. “This is a valuable opportunity to build on progress as countries continue to prioritize health.”

Call for an Updated Strategic Framework

Despite its successes, the report stresses that ADB’s legacy policies and operational tools are outdated. Team leader Eungji Kim emphasized that without a modernized health strategy, ADB risks being ill-prepared for the next generation of challenges.

“Our evaluation underscores that while ADB has demonstrated strengths, particularly during the recent pandemic, its legacy policies and operational mechanisms are not sufficient to navigate the complexity of current and future health challenges,” Kim said.

The report calls for an updated strategic framework to:

• Provide clearer operational guidance for health interventions.

• Strengthen country-level diagnostics to identify needs and gaps.

• Enhance knowledge sharing and partnerships across borders.

• Position ADB as a long-term development partner in health, not only a crisis responder.

Opportunities for Leadership

Health spending and reforms are increasingly prioritized by developing member countries, giving ADB the chance to leverage momentum. By investing in health infrastructure, workforce training, digital health, and pandemic preparedness, the bank can play a central role in shaping resilient and inclusive health systems.

The evaluation underscores that a stronger health mandate would also align with ADB’s wider goals of poverty reduction, gender equality, and sustainable development.

Looking Ahead

With health challenges shifting from communicable to noncommunicable diseases, and with demographics reshaping demand, Asia and the Pacific require modern, integrated, and future-ready health systems. ADB, guided by a refreshed strategy, could help countries bridge gaps, scale innovations, and safeguard populations against the dual risks of pandemics and chronic illness.

As ADB marks more than five decades of development work in Asia and the Pacific, the evaluation suggests that its next chapter in health engagement could be decisive in ensuring the region’s resilience and prosperity.