Content
Human right health
Strengthening health systems
Securing health for people in developing countries is a matter for health policy, economic policy and social policy in the countries concerned. Germany therefore endeavours, in collaboration with its partner countries, to develop strategies for strengthening their health systems.
Most of these health systems suffer from a dearth of money and skills. Hence, many health problems cannot be resolved, or at least not in the long term. Besides, access to health services of equal standard is often lacking regionally.
Building an efficient health system requires time, flexibility and professional advice and depends to a large extent on a country’s political culture, on the rule of law and on respect for human rights. An international commitment in this field is therefore very much in demand.
In its development cooperation, Germany always seeks to motivate partner countries to adopt fair, responsible policies geared to social peace. Key principles of the German health care system, such as solidarity and self-administration, have an important role to play when it comes to advising our partner countries.
The priorities of cooperation in regard to establishing health systems are as follows:
-
Support in elaborating, together with the partner country, health-policy strategies aligned with the economic and overall social conditions prevailing in that country.
-
Support in elaborating staff development plans, adapting frameworks and promoting training and advanced training.
-
Strengthening the management capacity of personnel in the health system.
-
Involving the public in decision-making on health and social policy.
-
Establishing social protection systems (for example social health insurance).
Further, more detailed information on what Germany is doing to help establish social protection systems in developing countries is available in the following section:
Information
