Health Systems and Innovation

Speeches Shim

USAID health programs are designed to support countries to strengthen health system functions across multiple sectors, health topics, disease areas, and public health threats. By linking traditionally separately-addressed health issues through integrated approaches, the Agency can contribute to the development of sustainable and cost-effective programs with lasting and greater impact on health systems and outcomes. For example, the 2017 Acting on the Call report estimates that by integrating services, which is meant to enable patients to receive multiple needed health services in a coordinated and convenient fashion, our work can save the lives of 465,000 women and children from 2016-2020.

We adapt our decades of experience in health financing, improving delivery of essential health services, and supply chain strengthening to country-specific contexts to bring to bear the most impactful results that can be sustained and continuously improved. We also apply innovative, business-minded approaches such as open innovation, market shaping, and innovative financing to amplify the impact and sustainability of our work.

Furthermore, we prioritize the use of data, research, and the application of gender-specific planning as critical features across our programs. Data provides information to help countries make informed decisions and investments in their health systems; research convenes the latest ideas and approaches for global health issues; and by examining gender roles in health, we can address inequalities for both genders that have traditionally been overlooked.

Learn how we apply these integrated approaches to solve global health problems: