Strong Health Systems for a Hopeful Future

We mark #WorldHealthDay by joining the World Health Organization's call to urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Strengthening health systems is key to providing women and newborns with essential services like pregnancy care, safe delivery, immunizations, and preventive interventions such as malaria chemoprevention.

Strengthening health systems requires a comprehensive approach, including evidence-based health budgeting, multisectoral strategies for child development, and equipping local leaders to improve primary health care.

MSH has been working on these fronts for over 50 years, contributing to global discussions and supporting local efforts to enhance health care. We remain committed to partnering with communities and organizations around the world to continue this vital work.

We want to hear from you! As always, your thoughts and questions are important to us. Share them in the comments section.

Fortifying Africa's Health Systems through Leadership and Innovation

At the recent AfHEA African Health Economics & Policy Assoc conference in Kigali, MSH experts shared practical strategies for strengthening primary health care and reducing donor dependency—highlighting the use of health technology assessment and district-level leadership to boost financial sustainability and efficient use of resources. 

Expanded Support for Indigenous Women and Newborns in Guatemala

Since 2021, MSH has helped improve culturally respectful care for Indigenous women in Guatemala. With a recent three-year extension, MSH will further enhance nutrition, data use, and remote support during the critical 1,000-day window to promote better health for both mothers and children.

Stronger Maternal and Child Health in Madagascar

Through the ACCESS program, MSH has helped improve lifesaving maternal and newborn care, enhance quality care, expand access to treatments, and train local health teams. The program leaves a legacy on Madagascar's health system, ensuring it continues to thrive beyond 2025.

Primary Health Care Improvements through Local Leadership in Ghana

With MSH support, District Health Management Teams in North Tongu and Akuapim South are driving measurable improvements in areas like family planning, skilled delivery, and vaccine coverage. By using data-driven strategies and leadership training, they are building a more resilient primary health care system.

Related >>> Primary Health Care Performance Management Activity

Related >>> Stronger Together: Leaders from Ghana and Rwanda Exchange Knowledge, Approaches to Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems

MSH and Partners Assist Young Families in Bangladesh

Between 2021 and 2025, MSH, in partnership with BRAC, Scope, and Population Council, helped first-time parents access quality maternal and newborn care through a group antenatal and postnatal care model. Beyond medical check-ups, these groups foster learning, connection, and support—empowering families for a healthier future.

Join MSH's Francis Aboagye-Nyame and industry colleagues for a side event at the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development

📅 Date: April 10, 2025

🕒 Time: 1:15-2:30 PM (New York Time)

📽️ Livestream: webtv.un.org

Hosted by #Thailand, #Uganda, World Health Organization, in collaboration with Management Sciences for Health, International Federation on Ageing, PATH, and US Pharmacopeia, this event will focus on the urgent need for universal access to safe, effective, and quality-assured health products to achieve #SDG3—ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages.

Meet Fanja, a Midwife and Leader Helping to Transform Health Care in Rural Madagascar: Appointed in 2022, Fanja enlisted the help of her community to transform the health center into a clean, healthy, and motivating environment for both patients and staff. She is one of the thousands of health workers supported by the ACCESS program in Madagascar.

In Case You Missed It

• Management Sciences for Health to Bolster Medicine Safety in Cameroon

• A Closer Look at Tuberculosis among Children and Adolescent Girls in Ethiopia: Insights from Recent Research

• Designing a Framework for Tuberculosis Elimination in Ethiopia: A Collaborative Approach