As a Global Health Fellow, my project focused on mapping and analyzing gaps that need to be addressed in order to reach universal health coverage (UHC) in Cambodia and Laos. UHC means that every person, everywhere has access to needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative quality health services without suffering financial hardship when paying for these services.
I took part in numerous field visits, which aided significantly to the development of my research, including: focusing on analyzing individual health policies and documents about health reforms; meeting with professionals from various organizations in order to define UHC goals; assessing where the country lies in meeting UHC targets; and identifying existing gaps and challenges.
My research specifically focused on UHC efforts in Laos. Through my research, I uncovered significant gaps in the country’s healthcare system in the following areas:
- Inadequate amount of qualified health workers
- Lack of quality and financial resources for health services
- Lack of safe health products (medicine/diagnostics), as per demand
In Laos, I conducted trainings on health system improvements using my own research, and World Health Organization guidelines and recommendations. During these training sessions, I discussed the potential for PSI to support the improvement of the healthcare system in Laos.
In addition, during my stay in Southeast Asia, I gained profound insights into UHC and established connections with potential UHC partners for PSI. I also gained valuable business knowledge that I have brought back to my daily work at Pfizer.
Rebecca Stoll is an access manager within the Pfizer Essential Health Business unit. In Rebecca’s current position, she creates analyses of the German hospital market by following trends, political developments, business opportunities, pricing, reimbursement and product management. Prior to joining Pfizer, Rebecca worked in various industries including management consulting and nursing.
From April through August 2016, Rebecca served as a 2016 Global Health Fellow with Population Services International (PSI)’s network member, Population Services Khmer (PSK), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. PSI is a global health organization dedicated to improving the health of people in the developing world by focusing on serious challenges like preventing and treating HIV/AIDS, access to family planning products and services, barriers to maternal health, and the greatest threats to children under five, including malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition. While volunteering as a Global Health Fellow, Rebecca helped conduct a regional marketing assessment and access analysis of PSI Asia’s social franchise model.
Learn more about Pfizer’s Corporate Responsibility efforts, including the Global Health Fellows Program.
During my stay in Southeast Asia, I gained valuable business knowledge that I have brought back to my daily work at Pfizer.
