Health systems in many low- and middle income countries are weak, inadequate or even non-existent. The Global Health Policy and Health Systems research programme (GHPHSR) supports research into how such health systems can be improved so as to increase the likelihood of the Millennium Development Goals being achieved.

Three aims

The GHPHSR programme has three overall aims:

• Contribute to better health by funding research aimed at strengthening health systems in low- and middle income countries (LMICs) with a particular focus on Africa.
• Strengthen research capacity in LMICs.
• Strengthen collaboration in the Dutch research and knowledge community to enhance the use of Dutch research capacity to tackle health issues in LMICs.

Key strategic objective

Improved equitable access to health in quality health systems is this programme’s key strategic objective. Research proposals are multidisciplinary in nature and involve relevant stakeholders in all phases of the programme, from inception through to dissemination of the results. Research focuses on the following interdependent key themes:

• Organisation and delivery of essential and quality health services
• Financial and human resources
• Governance and decision-making
• Global influences and their impact on national health systems

For the full report click here: Programme Global Health Policy and Health Systems Final publication: Impact and lessons learned

Insiders tip: Maternal Health Projects are desbribed from page 32 onwards!