Building Resilient Health Systems
Strong health systems empower clients and providers. Clients receive optimal care—whether at a health facility, within the community or at home. Health care workers are satisfied in their jobs, equipped with the skills they need and a career they can flourish in. Everyone is safe and respected. We help countries build resilient health systems that meet the needs of their populations.
2021 is the Year of the Midwife. Learn more and join the Midwives in Focus photo contest.
According to the World Health Organization, a health system is the people, organizations and actions taken to promote, restore or maintain health. This includes health-improving activities and disease prevention. In addition to public and private health care facilities, a health system can include things such as: a parent caring for a sick child at home, pharmacists, mass-media health campaigns, community health workers, health insurance organizations, occupational health and safety legislation, and so much more.
As more and more people access health services around the world, there is a pressing need to ensure that these services are of good quality. Quality of health services depends on many elements, such as having supplies and equipment, sufficient numbers of trained health workers, good health information and strong health systems management. These elements are not yet in place in many countries around the world.
To promote a common understanding of what a health system is and what constitutes health systems strengthening, the World Health Organization defined six “building blocks” that make up a health system: service delivery; health workforce; information; medical products, vaccines and technologies; financing; and leadership and governance (stewardship).
Together with the government of Ethiopia, we doubled the size of the country’s health workforce and more than halved the attrition rate.
Strong health systems value their staff!
How we make an impact
Help us strengthen health systems around the world
Together, we can help countries provide high-quality care for their populations and build robust health systems that will stand the test of time.