Recent world activities for health system strengthening / 国際保健医療

ABSTRACT

<b>Background</b><br> In recent global health developments, attention has focused on health system strengthening (HSS). Behind this move is the realization that HSS is essential for the development of sustainable and effective health care activities required to meet UN Millennium Development Goals and eradicate poverty. Since the publication of the World Health Report (WHR) 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has made intensive efforts to promote HSS.<br><b>Progress</b><br> This paper descibes recent global activities for HSS, based on official WHO documents and related issues, along with the following three phases publication of the WHR 2000, follow up of feedback on the WHR 2000, and global trends for HSS after publication of the WHR 2003. In particular, we shall clarify progress made after the year 2003 with regards to policy, implementation, and scientific methodology. For policy, the principle of Primary Health Care has been introduced to HSS, and the participation of international agencies has been promoted. With regards to practice, training a health care workforce and financial assistance from global funds are addressed. Finally, for scientific methodology, we refer to instances such as the development of the WHO framework for health systems, the promotion of evidence-based health research, and strengthening of health information systems.<br><b>Conclusion</b><br> To make vertical health care programmes for acute care, infectious diseases and chronic illnesse etc. more effective, HSS as the lateral foundation is an urgent global health care issue. It is surely necessary that Japan's basic strategy for supporting HSS is clarified as well as attempts to introduce concrete components for HSS into bilateral cooperation and NGO programmes.