Groundbreaking Report Links Health Systems Strengthening Interventions to Health Outcomes

The report draws on evidence identified in 66 systematic reviews – which together cover more than 1,500 individual peer-reviewed studies – on the effects of HSS interventions on health status and outcomes.
Ariel Pablos-Mendez, Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau for Global Health, and Child and Maternal Survival Coordinator, spoke at a launch event at USAID’s Global Health offices in Crystal City, Va. on July 28.
“We all agree on the importance of building sustainable health systems, but it’s harder to appreciate the importance of HSS investments at the country level,” Pablos-Mendez said. “This exercise is allowing us to share the first wave of the impact of health systems strengthening interventions. This is paramount and it is an important step for us.”
The report, authored by a team from the Abt Associates-led Health Finance and Governance project, presents evidence on how to strengthen health system performance to achieve sustainable health improvements at scale, particularly toward ending preventable child and maternal deaths, fostering an AIDS-Free Generation, and protecting communities against infectious diseases. Many of the interventions straddle several health system functions, and often overlap or are implemented in combination.

“This groundbreaking report marks a milestone in our path towards identifying concrete evidence of the capacity of health systems strengthening interventions to save lives,” said Karen Cavanaugh, Director of OHS, at the event.
Read the synopsis or the full report.
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