Strengthening health systems transformation through improving policy dialogue and technical capacity
The Health Systems Flagship Program is a World Bank initiative designed to enhance the capacity of policymakers, practitioners, and World Bank staff in navigating the complexities of health system reforms. It is a contribution to support low-middle-income countries (LMICs) achieve Universal Health Coverage through stronger, more resilient health systems – a mission further underscored by the Bank’s recent commitment to deliver quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030.
Purpose of the Program
The Health Systems Flagship Program integrates a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance countries’ capacity to strengthen health systems.
More than just a training course on essential health system topics, the Flagship Program is conceived as a convening space for key stakeholders in the health arena to come together and find collective responses to their most pressing health system performance challenges. The program aims to enhance the impact of ongoing or upcoming strategies or reforms, in the long term, and at a system level.
Both at a country and regional levels, the program is intended to generate a sense of collective ambition and shared approaches towards achieving the UHC 1.5 billion agreed target.
The Flagship Program is not just a teaching program; it is an opportunity for different stakeholders from various countries to come together, share perspectives (both difficulties and achievements), collaborate to find suitable responses to complex challenges (transforming theory into practice), engage in open and effective policy dialogue, and turn a community of practice into a powerful system of influence at the regional level.
Key Expected Learning Outcomes
As for that, the Flagship Program will guide participants into a 6 to 9-month journey, through which they will:
- Get a better understanding of contemporary fundamental topics and agendas shaping health systems overall.
- Explore complexities inherent to (health) systems dynamics – a whole-systems approach – and learn new approaches and tools to intervene in health systems in a more effective and impactful manner.
- Identify long term visions for their country health systems, creating a sense of collective ambition and legacy in the long term.
- Identify key action interventions to leverage systemic impact of ongoing or upcoming reforms or strategies.
- Defining specific – country-tailored – adaptive action plans to support execution in connection with the program follow-up.
- Gain deeper know-how in technical areas associated with identified leveraging points.
- Devise mechanisms and partnerships for further in-country institutionalization and stronger sustainability of newly acquired capacity.
Key Program Features
The Flagship Program is structured around five key features:
- Online Modules: Present and discuss essential components and agendas shaping health systems across the globe.
- In-person 5-day Workshop: Deliver tailored, interactive sessions for participants to maximize peer learning, in-country, and cross-country knowledge exchange, to explore various dimensions of a whole-systems approach and define high-impact actions to strengthen country health systems.
- Exploring System Levers/Technical Deep-Dives: Conduct 1-2 day workshop to enhance participants' competencies in specific technical areas needed to leverage health systems’ performance.
- Health System Strengthening Community of Practice: Create a community space for all participants to engage in ongoing learning, knowledge exchange, and collaborative problem-solving among health system professionals.
- Support to Implementation and Institutionalization: Provide support to participants in implementing and institutionalizing high-impact actions through effective instruments.
Last Updated: Mar 20, 2025