USAID | Timor-Leste and the Ministry of Health launched a groundbreaking initiative to bolster professional competence of health professionals to deliver and improve quality of health care services in Timor-Leste.

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.

To strengthen institutional capacities in the Mandatory Health Quality Assurance System of the Ministry of Health of Cúcuta, the Communidades Saludables of USAID and the Fundación Salutia delivered the Health Quality Management Model with its technological tool TGUÍA – IV.

The launch of the combined Health Accounts and National AIDS Spending Assessment exercise conducted by the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia aims to improve the collective understanding of both health and HIV spending in the country.

This brief builds on the USAID Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) Strengthening Governance report (2022) and global National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) survey, aiming to provide practical examples and considerations for country practitioners to consider on their quality journeys. It includes case studies of three countries that have used NQPS to mobilize and align resources for quality.

This learning brief captures LHSS’s experience in supporting municipal-level partners through the contracting process and distills emerging lessons to inspire other municipalities to pursue public-private partnerships as a vehicle for expanding access to urban PHC services.

This learning brief can be used as a resource for HRH managers, planners, program managers, and frontline practitioners to learn how other countries are approaching and successfully designing and implementing solutions to their HRH challenges. It can also be used as a reference for health policy makers, funders, and implementing partners to inform the design and implementation of HRH resource optimization initiatives covered in this brief.

This brief presents the achievements of two NGOs that received grants to conduct risk communication and community engagement work under the LHSS Project in the Kyrgyz Republic. It examines the grants’ capacity strengthening impact on the two organizations, describes lessons learned, and provides recommendations for donors, implementing partners, and local government partners implementing similar programs.

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?”

On Friday, February 25, LHSS Jamaica hosted a signing ceremony with the Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness and USAID to launch the Private Sector COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Partnership.

USAID launched the Inclusive Health Access Prize (IHAP) to recognize five private innovators working to improve the accountability, affordability, accessibility, and reliability of health care for poor and vulnerable populations. This brief captures lessons on supporting innovative health businesses.