The USAID Health System Sustainability Activity in Timor-Leste aims to strengthen health sector governance, develop mechanisms for sustainable health financing, strengthen health workforce management, promote healthy behaviors, and mobilize civil society.

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

In a municipality where over 100,000 people had no access to basic health services, stakeholders joined together to open a primary health center that now serves thousands of households.  

Two years ago, as it struggled to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and get people vaccinated, the Government of Jamaica turned to private health care providers for help. The results went well beyond its expectations.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed extraordinary stress on the Kyrgyz Republic’s health system and health care providers, revealing the need for new approaches that would address the immediate needs brought on by the pandemic and contribute to the country’s health system resilience.

Health personnel and teachers team up to increase COVID-19 vaccination coverage among families and children through a campaign to counter myths inhibiting community uptake.

A Timorese NGO is helping the Ministry of Health provide accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccine, resulting in increased vaccination in target municipalities.

“As health care workers, we know our communities best and can help save lives when we have the best training and information.” — Gulsunmoh Abdulloeva

Through intensive engagement with residents, health workers and other community leaders countered misinformation and eased people's concerns. The result: thousands more COVID-19 vaccinations.

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. 

This fact sheet provides a summary of activity progress in Central Asia as well as results and impact.

Since vaccines became available in 2021, only 26 percent of Jamaicans have been vaccinated – a far cry from the country’s goal of 65 percent by March 2022. Religious communities were among the victims of the misinformation causing vaccine hesitancy, with many of the country’s Christians believing the vaccines represented “the mark of the beast.” In response, the government called on church leaders to play a more prominent role in the country’s vaccination effort.

LHSS worked from April 2020 to November 2022 to address the immediate needs of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic related to prevention, detection, and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This fact sheet summarizes focus areas, results, and impact.

Health workers play a central role not only in providing continued care for COVID-19 patients, but also in promoting vaccination and combating misinformation, with evidence-based health education.