When President Obama launched the Global Health Initiative, he underscored the critical link between health systems and health outcomes: “We will not be successful in our efforts to end deaths from AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis unless we do more to improve the health systems around the world.”
Abt Associates works closely with our country partners to develop, implement, and evaluate solutions that improve their health systems and increase their populations’ access to and use of priority health services.
Abt brings extensive expertise, a systems approach, and integrated thinking to each partner country’s specific request for technical assistance. In addition, our tools and approaches are easily adaptable. We strive to reach a higher level of planning – engaging decision-makers and ensuring the implementation they request is based on evidence – and to work with public and private host-country organizations to develop their ability to carry on after we leave.
We provide comprehensive technical assistance that addresses all aspects of a country's health system, including health financing, health information systems and technologies, human resources for health, and governance and health policy. Recognizing the important link between country ownership and sustainability, we also contribute to the development of country leadership and institutions to improve core health system functions.
Our work includes:
- Assessing health systems;
- Conducting costing and sustainability planning;
- Developing and implementing financial risk protection mechanisms;
- Institutionalizing National Health Accounts and resource tracking;
- Improving health governance;
- Measuring health system performance;
- Workforce planning, development, and management; and
- Advancing universal coverage indicators.