health systems strengthening

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the field of global health policy and practice concerned with improving the performance, efficiency, equity, and resilience of health systems so they can deliver quality services to all people who need them; the World Health Organization's health systems framework identifies six building blocks of a well-functioning health system: service delivery, health workforce, health information systems, access to essential medicines, financing, and leadership and governance; health systems strengthening (HSS) approaches work across all six building blocks to address systemic weaknesses rather than focusing on single disease programmes; it is contrasted with vertical programmes — disease-specific interventions such as HIV/AIDS treatment or malaria prevention that may achieve results in their specific area while leaving broader health system weaknesses unaddressed; HSS is increasingly recognised as essential for achieving universal health coverage and for building the pandemic preparedness capacity that disease-specific programmes cannot provide

Examples

• Global health donors have shifted from vertical, disease-specific programmes toward health systems strengthening to build more resilient and equitable health services.
• Health systems strengthening in fragile states requires long-term commitment and flexibility beyond what short-term project funding can provide.

Synonyms: HSS, health system development, health system building