Global health

Health systems strengthening

Based on his British Medical Journal article on COVID-19 policy failures, Professor Garrett Brown was invited by the Unit Head of Evidence and Analytics for Health Security at the World Health Organisation to help evidence and draft sections of the new Health System for Health Security framework.

Professor Brown led a scoping review to locate evidence and expanded case studies to demonstrate how prior health system investments translated to better health security prevention, preparedness and response to acute health emergencies.

Professor Brown wrote the evidence directly into the framework and added substantive elements including more on common goods for health, prevention policy targeting upstream determinants, and the need for greater regional and global governance mechanisms.

The HSforHS framework combines a number of existing WHO policies into one overarching framework, which includes the International Health Regulations, WHO Building Blocks, Common Goods for Health, Health System Strengthening and emergency preparedness toolkits.