Strengthening Health Systems to Promote Good Health

World Health Day is observed internationally on April 7 to raise awareness regarding the critical role of good health to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. – UN Global Goal 3 

This year’s theme for World Health Day is Beat Diabetes, a noncommunicable disease that affects 350 million people globally and is likely to double in the next 20 years. The prevalence of diabetes has been steadily increasing over the past few decades, in particular in low- and middle-income countries. As populations urbanize, people tend to consume more refined and less nutritious food. As countries develop and their epidemiology changes, we witness a rise in noncommunicable diseases that is more typical of affluent countries.

This is why building strong health systems is such an important global health investment. Strong health systems allow countries to address current health concerns as well as new priorities that are bound to emerge as countries develop and our climate changes. Some of the key components or “building blocks” that are necessary to strengthen health systems and build country capacity include effective governance and financing, a competent health workforce, appropriate service delivery models, up-to-date information and quality medicines that reach people who need them.

Effective governance can alter policies to change food consumption patterns. Health financing can drive provider and client behavior toward prevention, promotion, and cost-effective disease management. A competent and well-trained health worker can ensure all patients are managed at the appropriate level of the health system. Information systems can identify patterns of disease and empower patients. Effective management of diseases depends on getting the right medicines to patients, in good condition, at the right time. 

The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) collaboration with countries to strengthen their pharmaceutical systems, including work on supply chain management of quality and essential health products for HIV and AIDS and other diseases, seeks to build country capacity and ownership for disease prevention and treatment. Our work to strengthen health systems lays the groundwork for better surveillance and for more sustainable, effective prevention, treatment, and control of all diseases.

Our work in nutrition also contributes to linking disease risk factors to nutritional habits. Poor nutrition during the first 1,000 days increases the risk of nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases later in life, including diabetes. Research shows that stunting, low birthweight, and intrauterine growth restriction caused by poor nutrition during pregnancy are all significantly associated with preconditions of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Our work in social and behavior change communication addresses the cultural and behavioral dimensions of disease treatment and management, which are also fundamental when dealing with diabetes. Our work in infectious diseases is also critical because people with diabetes are two to three times more likely to get active tuberculosis (TB), which is why effective detection and treatment of TB through a strong and well-equipped health system is essential to reducing the impact of both diseases. 

Learn more

• Read about USAID’s Vision for Health System Strengthening [PDF, 1.6MB]
• Learn how USAID purchases and distributes life-saving medicines and health supplies. 
• The USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy references how nutrition is a major risk factor and an important component for managing diabetes.
• A CNN article explores the strong link between TB and Diabetes: Modern life fuels an old infection: Could diabetes inflame the TB epidemic? 
• Read about the SPRING Project and how USAID supports activities across a range of nutrition projects;
• Learn more about WHO’s 2016 World Health Day Campaign: Stay Super: Beat Diabetes
• Learn about USAID's Behavior Change Framework [PDF, 730KB] to accelerate progress in global health and newly launched Accelerator Behavior Website 

Photo credit: USAID