Publication Date December 1, 2023 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.

Publication Date October 1, 2023 Webinars

How To: Practical Guidance for Strengthening Health Systems To Meet the Needs of Adolescents

On October 17, 2023, MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership held a workshop to build on discussions linking adolescent-responsive health systems to Universal Health Coverage during Global Forum for Adolescents. The workshop provided an introduction to the adolescent- and gender- responsive health systems approach; shared practical guidance on how to use the assessment and action planning tool, showcasing experiences in El Salvador, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Zambia; and provided opportunities for questions and discussion on how to use the findings to take action to strengthen the health system to meet the needs of adolescents and address gendered barriers to care.

Publication Date January 1, 2021 Program & Technical Resources

The Power of Youth Voices: How Youth Are Holding Their Health Systems Accountable for Family Planning and Reproductive Health

MOMENTUM identified challenges to youth social accountability related to youth participation, health system responsiveness, and an over-emphasis on short-term project-based accountability compared with sustainable youth-led movement building. Promising practices for youth social accountability emerging from the landscape include capacity building for youth and adults, strengthening relationships between youth and health system actors, leveraging digital connectedness, and targeting accountability efforts at multiple levels of the health system. Through this landscape analysis, we found that youth social accountability implementation is racing ahead of documentation and that there are opportunities to improve youth social accountability practice in order to increase youth leadership and improve the responsiveness of health systems to the needs and rights of youth.

Publication Date March 1, 2024 Program & Technical Resources

Health in Fragile Settings: A Health-Sensitive Conceptual Model of Fragility

This brief presents a health-sensitive conceptual model and typology of fragility, with the aim of improving MOMENTUM’s understanding of fragility and how it impacts health and, in turn, strengthens health programming. The conceptual model and typology proposed here are intended as internal guidance for USAID and USAID partnerships/projects and are designed to inform fragility assessments and contextual analysis as well as monitoring, evaluation, & learning approaches, conflict sensitivity, and exit strategies.

Publication Date October 1, 2021 About MOMENTUM

Strengthening Health Resilience in Northern Mali

MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience aims to increase the resilience and preparedness of health systems in the regions of Gao and Timbuktu in northern Mali by working with the Ministry of Health, stakeholders, and other partners to improve maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as voluntary family planning and reproductive health. Download this fact sheet to learn more about the project's work in northern Mali.

Publication Date June 1, 2023 Program & Technical Resources

Not If, But When: Enhancing Individual and Health System Resilience For Better Family Planning/Reproductive Health Outcomes In Fragile Settings

MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience, FP2030, and the Women’s Refugee Commission hosted a side event at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Pattaya, Thailand, on Monday, November 14, 2022. The meeting was attended by approximately 50 people representing ministries of health, donors, and implementing partners. This briefing note provides a summary of the event, including outcomes of group discussions focused on moving the global health community forward with health resilience and emergency preparedness for voluntary family planning and reproductive health.

Publication Date September 1, 2023 Webinars

Charting a Path Towards Local Capacity Strengthening: Systems and Tools for Mapping and Planning

On September 6, 2023, Data for Impact (D4I) and MOMENTUM’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Innovation, and Learning (ME/IL) Working Group held a webinar panel and discussion about tools that catalyze local capacity strengthening, as outlined in USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy. Both MOMENTUM Knowledge Accelerator and D4I have developed and implemented tools to assess and monitor organizational-level capacity strengthening. MOMENTUM Knowledge Accelerator discussed the forthcoming Capacity Mapping and Monitoring System (CMMS). Nigerian-based Data Research and Mapping Consult, Ltd. (DRMC) highlighted their experience using D4I’s capacity planning tool, Research and Evaluation Capacity Assessment Tool and Resource Package (RECAP).

Publication Date December 1, 2023 Program & Technical Resources

Learning from MOMENTUM: Community Engagement and Systems Strengthening Approaches to Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Published in recognition of the 2023 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, this brief highlights six innovative approaches—related to community engagement and system strengthening—for addressing GBV. The case studies from three MOMENTUM projects offer practical insights for gender experts, practitioners, and advocates, particularly those working in GBV pre­vention and response, to apply and adapt in their own work.

Publication Date September 1, 2021 Webinars

Strengthening Health Resilience to Improve Voluntary Family Planning in Fragile Settings

More than half of all maternal and child deaths occur in countries affected by conflict, disasters, weak governance and institutions, population displacements, and other acute and chronic shocks and stresses. In these settings, increased illness and death result from disruptions to basic health services and systems. From self-care and respectful care to supply chain management, traditional development approaches need adaptations and refinements in fragile settings to strengthen the health resilience of individuals, households, communities, and the broader health system to minimize the impact of shocks and stresses. The webinar presenters cover these issues; webinar participants submitted numerous questions and comments for discussion during the final portion of the webinar.

Publication Date February 1, 2023 Program & Technical Resources

How Data Systems Can Help Reach Zero-dose and Under-immunized Children

This brief is for government decision-makers, funders, and partners who are involved in advancing health information systems and data tools for identifying, reaching, and monitoring zero-dose and under-immunized children. It highlights findings and recommendations from the Landscape Analysis of Health Information Systems and Data Tools for Identifying, Reaching, and Monitoring Zero-Dose and Under-immunized Children.