Strengthening health systems – Health coverage for all

Children under five and women living in remote regions benefit from better access to medical treatment thanks to Switzerland's efforts in the realm of family medicine. © SDC

Good governance and the efficient management of resources are key factors in a well-functioning health sector. The SDC promotes the strengthening of health care systems in developing and transition countries. Switzerland strives to promote universal health coverage through its activities both to establish social protection mechanisms and to advocate for access to quality health care for the most vulnerable. 

SDC focus

Financing health

The SDC's support for health sector reforms in its partner countries is based on a thorough analysis of the prevailing political, economic and social contexts. Its aim: to guarantee access to quality health services for the poorest.

A combination of research and action enables the SDC to encourage the development of innovative financing and payment mechanisms for health services. Its interventions are always aligned with national policies and priorities, and implemented in direct cooperation with its governmental, non-governmental and private partners in the health sector. This approach seeks to develop a form of social protection capable of preventing the most vulnerable members of society from plunging into poverty as a result of their expenditure on health-related problems. SDC projects focus on the public sector and providing support to public-private partnerships. 

Governance and participation

The SDC promotes efforts to establish better governance in the health sector and supports both governmental and non-governmental actors in this objective as they strive to develop a culture of accountability, wage war on corruption and achieve transparency in the allocation and utilisation of resources.

At the community level, the SDC supports health promotion initiatives which involve marginalised and disadvantaged population groups. All users are encouraged to participate in the management and follow-up of health services as this helps reduce access barriers to care and leads to better health outcomes. This process of social empowerment enables users to know and assert their rights, and allows health care professionals to better respond to the needs of the population by offering quality care.

Determinants of health

The health of individuals and communities depends on a multitude of economic, social, cultural and environmental factors. SDC projects give priority to cooperation and coordination between different sectors (water, agriculture, education, etc.) in order to influence the various factors that constitute "determinants of health". Its activities also aim to encourage behavioural change and ensure that the poorest of the poor can exercise their right to health.

The SDC cooperates with other federal departments and offices such as the Human Security Division (HSD) and the FDFA's Sectoral Foreign Policies Division, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Context

Faced with growing populations in the low-income countries and the ageing of the global population, establishing efficient and equitable health systems is a priority. However, health care systems in a large number of countries suffer from a lack of investment and poor management of the available resources, with services relying too heavily on external funding. As a result, infrastructure, technologies and equipment are lacking, and there is an acute shortage of qualified health workers. Furthermore, the absence of social protection mechanisms forces patients to cover a large part of the costs themselves, thereby exacerbating the inequalities in access to care. At the end of the day, the economic consequences of a poor health care system are hindering development in the countries concerned.

In its position on health for the post-2015 agenda, Switzerland aspires to maximise health for all in all life stages. The long-term objective is to achieve universal health coverage and take coordinated action on the social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health. After all, the conditions in which people are born, raised and work have an impact on their state of health. Adopting an approach to health that involves other sectors such as water, sanitation, education and food security is therefore absolutely essential to overcoming inequalities.

Documents

Swiss Contributions to Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, complete study (PDF, 102 Pages, 934.0 kB, English)

Swiss Contributions to Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, summary (PDF, 6 Pages, 3.3 MB, English)

Qualitative research on foreign health personnel in Switzerland and their recruitment (PDF, 635.5 kB, German)

WHO Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property: the Contribution of Switzerland (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle- Income Countries Health Brief (PDF, 4 Pages, 274.3 kB, English)

Health despite poverty: a SDC-Sponsored project changes people's perspective Central Asia Project Briefing (PDF, 4 Pages, 898.0 kB)


Healthcare for remote regions: an SDC project in Kyrgyzstan sets the standard Central Asia Project Briefing (PDF, 4 Pages, 809.4 kB)

Article on family doctors in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PDF, 1 Page, 54.7 kB, German)


Lessons learned from evaluations on community participation and civil society involvement in health (PDF, 291.8 kB, English)

Current projects

Object 1 – 12 of 1158

Reducing risk-factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in Ukraine (Act for Health), phase 2

01.03.2025 - 28.02.2029

Non-communicable diseases represent the most significant health problem in Ukraine and the situation worsened as a result of Russia’s military aggression. This disease burden threatens the country’s resilience, development, its human capital, and the capacity of its healthcare system. The Act for Health project is a flagship Swiss engagement that addresses the chronic disease burden through tailored and innovative approaches at all government levels, thereby supporting Ukraine’s recovery and reform path.


Direct Humanitarian Actions, Reconstruction of WASH Infrastructure (emergency, recovery, sustainable construction)

15.01.2025 - 31.12.2027

In Ukraine, the areas close to the frontline remain severely affected by the war. International support is needed to ensure access to safe water, restore essential infrastructure and maintain basic water supply and sanitation services. The third phase of this Swiss-led programme focuses both on humanitarian emergency WASH response in frontline/border regions while laying the ground to inform comprehensive and innovative reconstruction approaches.


Asset Recovery Strategic Partnerships

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2029

Switzerland supports strategic partners in asset recovery who provide technical assistance to countries, advocate for international standards, and facilitate knowledge and exchange on international efforts and ongoing cases. The partnerships leverage Switzerland’s potential to influence the agenda more effectively, facilitate the integration of international best practices in ongoing restitution negotiations, and help ensure that returned assets benefit the populations of states of origin.


Backstopping support for SDC’s Cluster Green thematic Knowledge Networks A+FS, CDE and RésEAU

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

As a globally active knowledge-based organisation, SDC is critically dependent on effective and efficient knowledge management. SDC’s thematic networks sit at the heart of this endeavour, rendering an essential service across the organisation and its partners by connecting network members, collecting and processing information, and retaining and distributing knowledge. State-of-the art backstopping services are essential to this activity, as is close cooperation between SDC’s thematic networks.


Response to Gender-Based Violence 25-29

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2029

In order to fight increasing gender-based violence (GBV) in humanitarian and conflict contexts, address the root causes in a sustainable way and to contribute to lasting change, Switzerland provides targeted, multi-year funding for GBV prevention and response, and invests in rights-based and survivor-centred projects of three key partners.    


Core Contribution to the Interna-tional Fund for Public Interest Me-dia (IFPIM)

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

Public interest media in low- and middle-income countries face existential threats, impact-ing sustainable development and peace. IFPIM is an organization backing the resilience and independence of public interest media. Through SDC’s contribution to IFPIM, Swit-zerland promotes democracy by combating dis- and misinformation and ensuring media freedom and access to reliable information.


Voluntary Contribution to the Adaptation Fund (AF)

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

The Adaptation Fund (AF) has a proven track record for implementing innovative adaptation projects, including in SDC priority countries. It supports most vulnerable communities to increase their resilience and adaptation capacities in the face of the rapidly rising impacts of climate change including extreme weather events and slow onset processes. It is one of the four climate funds that reports to the Conference of the Parties to the Paris Agreement.


Programme d’appui à la petite irrigation-PAPI

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

Au Niger, dans un contexte de transition politique, la sécurité alimentaire demeure un enjeu majeur. Elle dépend notamment des performances des exploitations familiales qui parviennent difficilement à assurer leur propre alimentation. La Suisse accompagne la petite irrigation pour offrir en particulier aux femmes et aux jeunes des opportunités d’emploi et de revenus agricoles, mais aussi pour moderniser les exploitations familiales et contribuer ainsi à la sécurité alimentaire du pays.


Development Effectiveness Activities and Focal Point Development Effectiveness (DE) 2025-2028

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2026

In a time when getting more impact with less resources available becomes urgent, development effectiveness is the only way forward. Switzerland has been committed to this Agenda since the process started in 2005. It has acted as co-chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) from 2019 to 2022, hosted the 2022 Summit and remains a member of the steering committee. Switzerland will support the Joint Support Team (JST) based at UNDP for preparing and mobilizing countries to participate in the development effectiveness (DE) monitoring to further advance this agenda.


Economy and Education Backstopping

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2029

SDC’s thematic section Economy and Education (E+E), including the Competence Centre for Engagement with the Private Sector (CEP), is in charge of knowledge management as well as internal strategic and operational advice in the areas of Private sector development, Vocational skills development, Basic education and for the private sector engagement. The backstopping system of E+E provides specialised external thematic expertise which will improve the planning and implementation of SDC’s projects. 


Rural Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Georgia Phase 2

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2028

Rural Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Georgia face significant challenges that hinder their access  to  capital,  technology  adoption  and  entry  into  new  markets.  This  project  leverages Switzerland's expertise in finance and SMEs to address these issues. The aim is to strengthen the resilience and growth of SMEs by improving their access to a wider range of better business support services, ultimately increasing income and employment opportunities for rural women and men. 


Land and Natural Resources Governance (LNRG) program

01.01.2025 - 31.12.2027

Myanmar's  land  and  natural  resources  are  threatened  by  conflicts,  disputes,  environmental degradation,  and  climate  change.  This  program will  strengthen  ethnic  and  community-based systems  for  better  land  and  natural  resources  governance  in  the  South  East  region  through empowered local civil society organisations and accountable ethnic Service Departments. This support builds on past successes, and is implemented by trusted local and international partners.  

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