Strong health systems
transform children’s lives
Health Systems Strengthening
A strong health system ensures children, families and communities receive the support they need to stay healthy and safe from threats like infectious diseases. From training qualified health workers to investing in healthcare facilities, UNICEF is working with our partners to ensure every child has access to resilient and quality healthcare.
What are health systems?
Health systems are people, institutions and resources whose main goal is to promote, restore or maintain health. These systems include the health workforce, medical products, vaccines and the health facilities themselves.
Health systems strengthening is important because it considers the whole system. It makes sure all aspects are working efficiently to provide people with sustainable, resilient and inclusive healthcare services.
Strong health systems equal healthy children
In recent decades, there has been significant improvement to children’s overall health. But in low- and middle-income countries, millions of children still do not have access to quality healthcare and services. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed many of the gains that have been made over the years.
In many places around the world, health facilities are too far or expensive to reach. In others, facilities don’t have the medical supplies or trained personnel necessary to deliver basic essential and quality care.
Without quality healthcare and services, children are more vulnerable to illness, environmental hazards, and the effects of humanitarian emergencies. This not only affects their health, but their ability to stay in school and their chances of reaching their full potential.
One-year-old twin sisters, Taleen and Monica in the vaccination room of the UNICEF -rehabilitated clinic in Homs, Syria. UNICEF has been rehabilitating damaged health and nutrition centres across Syria, providing access to basic health and nutrition services to thousands of people.
UNICEF’s work to strengthen health systems
UNICEF is working to strengthen health systems so they can reliably deliver quality, accessible and affordable healthcare for children around the world. We do this by working with partners across various sectors, integrating health services with an emphasis on primary care and by empowering communities and the people that serve them.
With the support of our donors and partners, UNICEF is ensuring health systems are strengthened by:
- Working at the community level to ensure health services are accessible and affordable for everyone;
- Helping to hire and train health workers;
- Integrating with community-based systems and coordinating with other sectors like water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection and education;
- Strengthening procurement, supply and distribution systems;
- Contributing to evidence-based plans and policies to improve children’s and women’s health.
