Transforming Health Systems grants tackled four health systems concerns: stewardship and management, financing, information systems, and universal health care (UHC) policy and advocacy. In each target country, the grants provided transformative support to address key challenges.
Bangladesh faced serious constraints in its health sector workforce and weak health information systems. Thirty one grants helped provide training for health care professionals, assess and improve health information systems, and introduce UHC concepts to health sector stakeholders. The interventions increased awareness and commitment to UHC, contributed to improved and standardized medical education, and aided the development of integrated health information systems.
Ghana sought to build public sector capacity to steward and manage its mixed public-private health system. The program partnered with the International Finance Corporation, which assessed the private health sector. Thirteen grants subsequently sought to build capacity within the private sector unit in the Ministry of Health and to create a platform to facilitate engagement with the private sector. The interventions strengthened public sector capacity, increased policy dialogue around UHC, and strengthened the country’s National Health Insurance Scheme.
Rwanda’s health system reforms have sought to increase health service use, reduce out-of-pocket expenditures, and improve health indicators. Eleven grants focused particularly on building eHealth and technology platforms. The grants resulted in improved capacity to develop and implement sustainable eHealth solutions, as well as creation of a custom electronic medical records system and a Health Enterprise Architecture. Most grants included plans for sustainability beyond the life of the grant.
Vietnam wanted to find ways to expand coverage, improve financial protection, and reduce inequality, particularly through improving its provider payment system. Sixteen grants funded research to support reforms and design and test alternative capitation methods. The initiative built capacity in academic and research institutions, strengthened government capacity in health system management and planning, increased support for payment reform, and generated evidence to shape universal health insurance policies.