Reviewing strategies for Resilient Health Systems. Context-specific measures like redistributing health workers, political commitment and efficient health financing strategies are vital for achieving Universal Health Coverage and health security goals.
In the pursuit of universal health coverage (UHC) and health security, a resilient health system (RHS) is indispensable. Despite the significance of RHS, there is limited knowledge regarding effective strategies. This systematic review addresses this gap by synthesizing literature from January 2000 to December 2021, employing a critical appraisal checklist and a narrative synthesis approach grounded in the World Health Organization’s health systems building block framework.
The findings, drawn from 57 articles, highlight key strategies for building RHS, including context-based redistribution of health workers, task-shifting policies, and results-based health financing. High political commitment, community-based response planning, and multi-sectorial collaboration emerge as crucial factors for realising UHC and health security. Conversely, challenges such as inadequate access, non-responsive healthcare services, weak leadership, and income inequalities underscore the complexity of achieving UHC and health security. The study emphasises that while advanced healthcare infrastructure and an adequate workforce are fundamental, context-specific measures like health worker redistribution, task-shifting, and integrated, multi-sectoral approaches rooted in primary health care principles are essential for a resilient health system.