Evidence-Based Planning Tools to Improve Priority Health Outcomes

In a resource-constrained environment, decisions about which health programs and interventions to prioritize require evidence about both health impact and costs. Spectrum is a free software package designed to support strategic planning over a range of health areas.

Experts from LHSS partner Avenir Health and a representative from the Ethiopia Ministry of Health presented on the Spectrum modeling suite, a free software package designed to support integrated strategic planning over a range of health areas, including HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and family planning. Speakers explained its use for cost effectiveness analysis, prioritization, and planning, and discussed example modeling exercises from Ethiopia and other countries.