In addition, various director-generals and leaders in the MOPH had overseas
training as well as experience as provincial public health managers. These leaders
influenced policy formulation or, through their policy networks, indirectly
swayed the policy agenda in favour of rural health development. They did this
over two to three decades, maintaining policy continuity and coherence. The
1986 Sasakawa Health Prize49 awarded to Dr Amorn Nondasuta, the MOPH
permanent secretary, further boosted national commitment towards rural
primary care development. He was the pioneer of the voluntary health insurance
scheme introduced in 1984 for the informal population, one of the key founda-
tions for future universal coverage.