WHO
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Health systems governance

    Overview

    Health systems governance refers to the way in which a country manages and oversees its health system. It involves the structures, policies and processes that guide decision-making and actions within the health sector. Essentially, it is about how the different components of a health system work together under a set of rules and leadership to achieve common health goals and improve population health.

    It addresses issues such as:

    • How are health-care decisions made?
    • Are citizens involved and do they have the chance to participate in health decision-making?
    • Are policies designed to ensure fairness and equal access in the health system?
    • How is the involvement of other governmental sectors and actors, such as the private health sector, managed to ensure transparency and accountability?
    WHO response

    WHO works with countries on enhancing their governance capacities for effective health leadership and engagement within the health sector and beyond.

    WHO is supporting countries by:

    • advocating for increased civil society and multistakeholder engagement in the formulation and implementation of health policies;
    • encouraging governments to enhance transparency and accountability mechanisms within their health systems, particularly when engaging with private sector entities;
    • conducting reviews of existing health governance models and mechanisms in the WHO European Region to identify and share best practices;
    • strengthening their capacity to work across governmental sectors to develop policies that promote health equity and well-being.

    Our work

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    Strengthening health systems governance

    Strengthening health systems governance

    WHO
    © Credits

    Overview

    The overarching aim of WHO’s work on governance is to strengthen health systems and advance their objectives while minimizing the risk of conflict and policy failure. Strengthening health systems governance is key to sustaining countries’ efforts to run their health systems effectively; conduct the reforms necessary to deliver equitable, responsive, efficient and quality health services that are people-centred; and ultimately achieve the health system goal of better population health outcomes.

    Health system governance is the process of ensuring that the institutions responsible for overseeing the health system, typically the health ministry, have the capabilities and capacity to effectively carry out their functions. This involves the existence of strategic policy frameworks, combined with effective oversight, coalition-building, regulation, attention to system design and accountability.

    In the WHO European Region, where numerous health issues fall outside the mandate of health ministries, it is crucial to identify innovative solutions to strengthen health systems governance by collaborating with other governmental sectors and advocating for whole-of-government approaches to promote health and well-being.

    WHO is partnering with countries to strengthen their health systems governance by:

    • producing evidence on best practices and sustaining policy dialogue for increased civil society and multistakeholder engagement in the formulation and implementation of health policies;
    • carrying out country-tailored governance reviews and capacity-building activities, including on anti-corruption to enhance transparency and accountability mechanisms within health systems, particularly when engaging with private sector entities;
    • conducting reviews of existing health governance models and mechanisms in the Region to identify and share best practices;
    • producing briefs and deep dives to strengthen countries’ capacities to work across governmental sectors to develop policies that promote health equity and well-being.

    Publications

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    Governance and capacities for environment and health in the WHO European Region

    Environment and health governance refers to the systems, structures and processes that guide decision making and implementation of policies to reduce environmental...

    Institutionalizing social participation in health policy for better performing health systems: policy lessons from the field

    Social participation is increasingly acknowledged as essential to making health policies that respond to people’s experiences, expectations and needs,...

    Documents

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