Health systems strengthening in the context of COVID-19:
Identifying priorities for access and delivery

South–South Stakeholder Online Consultation

July/August 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of ensuring equitable access to health services, as well as increasing availability of medicines, vaccines and diagnostic tools in response to both established and emerging health threats.

Building on the recent ADP South–South Exchange (held in Bangkok, February 2020) a series of online ADP consultations took place in mid-2020 enabling focus country stakeholders and partners to identify shifting country needs, help ensure continued access and delivery of vital health technologies, and assess available options to ensure sustainability and resilience of health systems.

The consultation series also provided a starting point in developing opportunities to leverage innovative digital approaches in delivering and extending ADP technical support to countries.

Four focused consultations were organized during July/August 2020. They were designed to support continued dialogue between ADP focus countries, ensure sustained engagement with ADP, as well as providing input into future ADP planning and technical assistance.

About the Online Consultation Series

National lessons learned along the ADP 'innovation–access–delivery value chain' were shared to help countries grappling with minimizing the impact of COVID-19 and mitigating disruptions to other essential health programmes and services, including those addressing tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

This mini-series of online modules focused on four interlinked areas of building strong, resilient and sustainable health systems.

Module 1

Integrated, multisectoral planning and implementation research

Wednesday 1st July, 2020Completed
Integrated planning, policies and implementation are essential in the context of enabling effective pandemic responses while safeguarding the overall functioning of national health systems.
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Module 2

Value-based planning and procurement of health technologies

Wednesday 15th July, 2020Completed
In response to COVID-19, many health systems are required to rapidly expand procurement, supply chain, and management systems to ensure PPE, diagnostics, biomedical equipment, essential medicines, consumables and, one day, vaccines are available where and when they are needed.
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Module 3

Promoting regulatory system preparedness

Wednesday 29th July, 2020Completed
Some countries have started accelerated or emergency regulatory approvals for COVID-19-related health technologies. What are the most pressing needs of countries for effective regulatory systems strengthening?
Module 4

The building blocks for digital health interventions

Wednesday 12th August, 2020Completed
Innovations in digital platforms are being increasingly adopted in ADP countries for monitoring health-related stocks and storage, improving data management, strengthening of cold-chain systems and as training tools for health personnel at all levels.
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