Arvie Papa’s cleft lip operation took less than 30 minutes. But his journey to the operating table was a year in the making.

Under the Philippines’ UHC law all Filipino citizens will be automatically enrolled in the country’s national health insurance program. But there’s currently a gap between the ambitions of the law — whose implementing rules and regulations are still being finalized — and the reality, where access and insurance coverage challenges remain.

For families that fall between the gaps, like Arvie's, partnerships are providing a safety net. At the Philippine Band of Mercy hospital, patients can receive treatment for free thanks to a partnership with the nonprofit organization Smile Train.

Read the full story, part of our Healthy Access series on universal health coverage:
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