With increased migration around the world posing unique challenges and opportunities for health systems, efforts to better integrate and include migrants and host communities in national health systems are an integral part of the global health equity agenda. 

Improved referral system helps those experiencing poverty in Nasarawa State to better access to secondary care.

This brief introduces the social determinants of health (SDOH) concept and terminology, and discusses approaches to addressing SDOH. Understanding these root causes of health inequities and their impact on health care access, quality, and equity is crucial to strengthening health systems.

Health workers are welcoming new policies that promote equitable access to employment, professional development, and promotion opportunities.

Through energetic and broad stakeholder collaboration, the country’s long-stalled effort to pass a UHC policy has gained momentum.

Improved internet connectivity and capacity strengthening have increased timeliness and completeness of health data reporting in Timor-Leste. That makes all the difference for the country’s health officers.

This brief includes a global evidence review of DFS for health conducted by LHSS and an analysis of two programmatic case studies of DFS for health by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) through the Digital Square initiative.

In the wake of recent political conflicts and global sanctions, Afghan women once again have access to family planning and maternal and child health products, thanks to the devoted efforts of a private social marketing organization.

With LHSS support, the Ministry of Health in Ukraine is connecting health facilities with telemedicine equipment, training physicians and patients, and forging other parts of an impactful telemedicine system: policies, transparent financing arrangements for services, and agreed-upon roles among stakeholders.

This two-pager focuses on USAID’s Learning Question 5, “What are effective and sustainable mechanisms or processes that enable the participation of private sector, civil society, and public organizations in developing locally-led solutions to improve high-performing health care, especially for poor and vulnerable populations? What enables the effective participation or leadership of marginalized populations themselves in the development and implementation of these solutions? Under what conditions is this participation different?”

New efforts will make health care more affordable for residents in 10 municipalities.

New capacities in delivering remote care are saving lives and strengthening Ukraine's health system resilience. 

Ukraine is facing extraordinary challenges to its health system amidst the Russian invasion, including attacks on Ukrainian medical facilities and infrastructure. To restore and maintain critical health services to Ukraine’s dispersed population, the Ministry of Health is strengthening its capacity to offer medical consultations via telemedicine. This two-page Progress Update describes LHSS technical assistance for the effort and results as of January 2023.

LHSS is supporting local government institutions in Bangladesh’s densely populated Rajshahi and Sylhet Divisions to expand access to primary health services and reduce out-of-pocket expenditures for low-income urban residents. 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused many doctors to leave the country, compromised patients’ safety when seeking care, and displaced large portions of the population away from their primary health care providers. A strong national telemedicine system will be key to assuring access to health services for Ukrainians, now and in the future. Experiences from other conflict/disaster areas may provide insights, helping Ukraine assess and implement its own telemedicine response.