Research & Evidence

Learning From Health Systems Strengthening Responses to COVID-19

The global COVID-19 pandemic challenged health systems worldwide, examining their resilience in maintaining essential services while preventing and responding to COVID-19. MOMENTUM Knowledge Accelerator conducted a learning synthesis to understand the extent to which three MOMENTUM projects in India and Sierra Leone used health systems strengthening (HSS) approaches in their COVID-19 response activities. Furthermore, the work sought to distill factors that facilitated, or inhibited, the implementation and outcomes of HSS-oriented COVID-19 response activities. Lessons and recommendations can inform future approaches to integrating HSS in outbreak and pandemic responses.

This package of materials includes:

  • The evidence synthesis report offers a more comprehensive account of the background, methodology, findings, and recommendations from the learning activity.
  • The policy brief offers a summary of findings and highlights key recommendations for policy makers that support the use of HSS-oriented approaches in future outbreak and pandemic responses.
  • The country case studies provide more detail about how each of the three MOMENTUM interventions highlighted as a part of this work contributed to health systems strengthening.
    • The Sierra Leone IPC case study describes a MOMENTUM Country and Global intervention to strengthen IPC and WASH readiness and prevention as a part of the country’s COVID-19 response.
    • The India Strengthening GBV Response case study describes a MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics intervention to strengthen the response system for GBV survivors in the context of the COVID-19 response.
    • The India COVID-19 Vaccinations case study describes a MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity intervention focused on improving COVID-19 vaccination uptake among hard-to-reach communities in India.
  • An overview of findings from this learning activity were shared alongside findings from two other USAID-funded learning activities in a Wilson Center dissemination event held on December 12, 2023.

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