WHO Health Systems Research Strategy Background documents

The following background papers were commissioned to provide a conceptual underpinning for the WHO Global Strategy on Health Systems Research that is currently under development.

• A Review of Conceptual Barriers and Opportunities facing Health Systems Research to inform a Strategy from the World Health Organization
  pdf, 2.43Mb

• Reviews of WHO Documents on Health Research
  pdf, 208kb

• Embedding of research into decision-making processes
  pdf, 1.15Mb
• A Health Systems Research mapping exercise in 26 low- and middleincome countries: Narratives from health systems researchers, policy brokers and policy-makers
  pdf, 930kb

The Alliance HPSR and the WHO Health Systems Financing Department issued a joint call for proposal in 2009 to support country case-studies on universal financial risk protection. Seven case studies are currently underway.
Learn more about the processes leading to Universal Health Coverage in Thailand in the following policy brief produced by the International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.
The case study was financially and technically supported through an Alliance grant.

Read more

• Equity and financial risk protection: How were policies for the Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand developed?
  pdf, 1.42Mb

Results from the recent priority-setting exercise performed by the Alliance identified research questions in access to medicines that demonstrate the need to explore the relationships between medicines and the other building blocks of the health system and analyse the health system determinants of access to medicines. This call aims to explore the connections between medicines and three other functions of the health systems: health financing, governance and health information.
The deadline for submission is 18 June 2012. Potential applicants can contact the Alliance (alliancehpsr@who.int) and seek clarification for all questions related to the call. Please see the FAQ page available below.

• More on the Call for Expressions of Interest
  pdf, 538kb
• Grant application submission
  docx, 42kb
• FAQ Page

The Alliance just launched: Health Policy and Systems Research: A Methodology Reader. The Reader aims to provide a basis of understanding, ideas and experience to strengthen the quality of Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) – including a collection of high quality papers that demonstrate the application of different HPSR strategies and methods.