Equitable health services

Knowledge network on health systems

The Commission on the Social Determinants of Health is a global strategic mechanism to improve equity in health through action on the social determinants of health at global, regional and country level
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/map/en.

The way that health systems are designed, financed and operated acts as a powerful determinant of health. The Health Systems Knowledge Network will review different models for health systems to improve health equity outcomes. The focus will be on innovative approaches that effectively incorporate action on the social determinants of health, and on strategies of policy development and implementation. Key themes are evolving and are likely to include:
• Building and maintaining national policy space for health policies that seek social justice;
• Using the health sector to leverage inter-sectoral actions that address the social determinants of health;
• Identifying key elements of the health system architecture necessary to secure social protection and universal coverage;
• Ensuring effective governance and oversight of health systems and policies intended to secure social protection and universal coverage;
• Preserving health equity in conflict and post conflict settings; and
• Strengthening management and stewardship capacities within the health sector.

The Health Systems Knowledge Network is chaired by Lucy Gilson of the Centre for Health Policy and co-chaired by Dr. Antonio Infante of the Chilean health services. The network is made up of 14 policy-makers, civil society leaders and academics from around the world, all of whom are well linked into other networks, formal and informal. The network is assembling evidence through commissioned papers, case studies and engagement with country governments and civil society, as facilitated by separate initiatives of the Commission. For more information on the work of this network contact us at admin@equinetafrica.org.

EQUINET work to support national people centred health systems

EQUINET is carrying out work on a range of other aspects of health services. This work aims to support a focus on building comprehensive, universal and integrated national health systems. While there are many features of national health systems, the priority features that we have identified as important for health equity are
i. Building people-led, people-centred health systems that organise, empower, value and entitle people;
ii. Promoting increased fair, sustainable and equitable financing for health at national, regional and global level in order to secure the universal right to health;
iii. Ensuring adequate, well-trained, equitably distributed and motivated health workers; and
iv. Advocating for fair global policy (just trade, reversing unfair flows of resources) with national and regional policy flexibility to exercise policies that improve health.

On other areas of the site you can view information on training, meetings and grants related to this area of EQUINET's work.

You can also search publications produced by EQUINET and our annotated bibliography for documents related to this theme.

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