Among the well-thought-out facets of the Global Fund is the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) initiative. RSSH is central to many of the Global Fund’s primary goals, including sustainability, transition, and repositioning, ultimately leading to a stronger healthcare system that serves all citizens effectively. This hidden gem within the Global Fund initiative plays a crucial role in building robust healthcare systems while the larger portion of the Global Fund focuses on combating the three major diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
The strategic implementation and utilization of RSSH makes it the “little engine that could,” in steadily fortifying healthcare infrastructures. The recognition of this potential by the Ministry of Health (MoH) could accelerate the transformation of a country’s healthcare systems. RSSH should be seen as an investment rather than merely a means of subsistence for the healthcare sector. Successful countries invest RSSH funds in developing their healthcare systems, whereas others may use these funds primarily for salaries and operational expenses. Understanding RSSH’s potential can lead to substantial improvements in healthcare provision and positive patient outcomes, ultimately achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the establishment of a well-run healthcare system.
A crucial component of developing a resilient healthcare system is the establishment of data-driven decision-making enabled by data generation, collection, and analysis capabilities. This data-driven approach informs decisions, policies, and guidelines, allowing for continuous improvement and innovation at various touch points within the healthcare system.
Emphasizing Return on Investment (ROI) within healthcare programs promotes sustainability thinking. Contrary to popular belief, focusing on ROI does not compromise quality. Instead, it fosters profitability, growth, and sustainability, ultimately resulting in affordable healthcare services. A well-compensated workforce benefits the economy from the multiplier effect of competitive compensation, expanding the tax base and by extension strengthening the healthcare system.
Well-designed RSSH projects should include resilience to pandemics as well as considerations for climate change effects and how to mitigate them. Climate changes have led to unforeseen health issues, like Malaria in surprising and unexpected places like Florida. Climate change repercussions have led to atypical pathogen which pose a great challenge to the healthcare system. The harsh season temperatures were sufficient to control pathogens are now milder. Scientific forcasting suggest that more unpredictable health threats will arise. RSSH can help inoculate healthcare systems against complete breakdowns by leveraging lessons from Malaria and COVID-19 response data analysis to inform the development of new surveillance systems.
RSSH Funding options wheel
Geo political issues stemming from epidemics and/or pandemics can lead to regional political unrest. Early detection is key to avoid such conflicts. RSSH can facilitate the establishment of robust epidemiological surveillance systems, utilizing data to identify threats, devise viable solutions, and marshal resources to contain them. This proactive approach coupled with robust coordination can curtail the spread of diseases and pandemics like Ebola and COVID-19, data, coordination, and international collaboration which are key to a successful response are aspects that RSSH investment can support.
The hallmark of a high-quality healthcare system is consistently positive patient outcomes. Achieving sustainable outcomes indicates a well-designed system with established standards of care and responsiveness to citizens’ health challenges.
Consistency in healthcare results leads to predictable costs and facilitates better budgeting. Quality also involves learning from failures to inform system improvements. All these steps are supported by a strong healthcare system, a goal envisioned by the Global Fund through RSSH.
The genius of RSSH lies in recognizing its potential to invest in the future and reap the rewards in a timely fashion. Conversely, using RSSH funds primarily for operational costs and overheads, with minimal infrastructure support, undermines this potential. While the Global Fund focuses on TB, HIV, and malaria, the RSSH framework is designed to integrate with and enhance these efforts, boosting overall healthcare system performance.
It is not too late for countries to reconsider their RSSH utilization strategies.
Focusing on investing these funds in infrastructure can provide the necessary support for transitioning from the Global Fund. Building the various aspects of the healthcare system as outlined above will lead to self-sustaining and effective healthcare systems.
Post-Global Fund planning should be a priority. Honest analysis of healthcare system shortfalls, innovative approaches to healthcare challenges, collaboration with all communities, inclusion of traditional healthcare techniques, responsiveness to healthcare challenges, and a deliberate focus on ROI are essential for effective healthcare functions.
Governments are motivated to provide for their citizens. An effective and efficient healthcare system will lead to healthy communities which in turn will increase productivity, leading to high GDP, a larger tax base therefore more tax collection and resources to tackle other priorities, A healthy people is a healthy productive nation.
RSSH investments will ensure the building of an appropriate, efficient, effective, predictable, and affordable healthcare system. The result of which will support the prosperity of the great Nation.
Food security seems like a misplaced RSSH discussion. Consider this, Nutrition is a key part of wellness and health. Good nutrition reduces healthcare spending in a roundabout way. RSSH funding can be used to set up a system that will ascertain what nutritional elements would best protect the public from common illnesses. Nutritional elements that will promote healing, Nutritional elements that build healthy resilient bodies from birth. As the saying goes, “…let your kitchen be your pharmacy…” RSSH investment will go a long way to identify how to reduce healthcare system utilization by prevention and healing time.
The walk from here to a Transition to a strong sustainable healthcare system is not a pipe dream. It is a realistic goal that can be achieved. Below is an example of how to achieve it. For governments that have unutilized RSSH funds, there are viable options.
RSSH Deployment for Global Fund transition
To facilitate an orderly transition Global Fund needs to reinvigorate RSSH as a key strategy for a transition from Global Fund. The repositioning of CCM will consolidate the gains and share their learnings from the administration of Global Funds with MoH. It is time to plan and invest for the post-Global Fund MoH.
Dr Lucas Nyabero
CEO Elara Health Innovations Inc
