Health Systems Insight

This project established a hub to generate economic evidence on vaccine delivery costs in low- and middle-income countries, initially focusing on covid-19 vaccination and later shifting to reaching zero-dose children, while building capacity through the immunization economics community of practice. In 2024, the project completed all 5 covid-19 vaccine delivery costing studies across vietnam, bangladesh, mozambique, cte d'ivoire, and uganda, publishing 3 country reports and 2 peer-reviewed manuscripts with data from 203+ sites. Health systems insight updated the immunization delivery cost catalogue with 607 new unit costs from 62 studies and launched a redesigned community of practice website with 800+ searchable resources that grew its linkedin following to over 4,000. The zero-dose costing work obtained ethical approvals and completed or nearly completed data collection in ethiopia, pakistan, and nigeria, while securing follow-on gavi funding for the community of practice through 2025.

The kenya quality ecosystem project was awarded in late 2022, but activities didn't begin in earnest until january 2023. Health systems insight has partnered with jacaranda health for this project. Health systems insight supports ensuring availability and sustainability of financing for maternal and child health programs through policy improvements and strengthening capacity of financial management in four counties in kenya. We have initiated pilot testing of interventions to increase financial resources and capacity building of financial data clerks to improve accuracy and availability of financial data. This work continued through 2024.

In 2024, this project changed course by attaching fellows to the sp4phc phase 2 project to support specific research projects that the goals of sp4phc phase 2, as well as continue to honor the memory of samya rose stumo. This approach has resulted in more sustainable research by the fellows and helped them achieve tangible impact.

The mozambican ministry of health engaged health systems insight (using external donor funds) to finalize and disseminate the national health financing strategy and support preparation of the country's health sector strategic plan, 2025 - 2034. In addition, health systems insight is creating a conducive environment for successful strategic plan implementation. The strategy and the plan are critical policy and strategic documents to mobilize domestic resources for its health systems, ensure sustainability, and set a strategic direction for the next 10 years. In 2024, the project provided the key evidence base for the strategic planning and supported planning with the ministry and its stakeholders.

Despite high disease burden of cervical cancer in kenya and the availability of cost-effective hpv vaccine, the country is struggling with its hpv vaccine program implementation. Awarded in late 2024, this project supports the government of kenya by costing cervical cancer prevention, producing an operational plan for vaccination, as well as developing an investment case and advocacy strategy to improve the vaccine coverage in kenya.

This project's goals include developing and implementing a pilot of a health financing framework in mongolia and zambia to increase understanding of the key financing-related challenges that hinder the availability and affordability of essential breast cancer medicines. In addition, it supports in-country stakeholders in solving critical challenges identified during the pilot by analyzing challenges and reporting key recommendations for stakeholders.

This project improves the financing and accessibility of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (srhr) services by integrating them into the country's comprehensive outpatient benefits package - part of the nation's universal health care. In 2024, we conducted an analysis of the srhr service standards, mapped existing service providers, and analyzed the cost of key services.

Under this award, twi explored payment systems for primary health care that blend different provider payment methods with the aim of integration of different levels of care, containing costs, and prioritizing wellness of the population. The project produced an analytical report to facilitate the stakeholder deliberation on this critical topic.