Health Systems and Services (HSS)

The Health Systems and Services (HSS) Cluster at the WHO Regional Office for Africa serves as the Organization’s platform for strengthening and transforming health systems across the African Region.

By bringing together expertise in health financing, governance, health workforce development, service delivery, medicines and health technologies, health information systems, research, digital health and innovation, the Cluster supports Member States to build resilient, equitable and people-centred health systems capable of delivering quality services across the life course.

The Cluster contributes directly to the achievement of:

• Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
• The health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• The WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14)
• The WHO African Region’s strategic vision of “A Healthier Africa for All.”

Formed through the integration of the former Universal Health Coverage and Assistant Regional Director clusters, the HSS Cluster provides a coherent platform for health systems strengthening, aligning technical leadership, partnerships and investments to accelerate progress toward better health outcomes across the Region.

All people in the African Region achieve better health and well-being through efficient, people-centred, integrated and resilient health systems.

To support countries in strengthening health systems so that every person can access quality essential health services without financial hardship, across the entire life course.

Over the past decades, the African Region has achieved important health gains, including improvements in life expectancy and child survival. However, progress has been uneven and many countries continue to face major health system challenges.

Persistent gaps in health financing, workforce availability, access to medicines and diagnostics, service delivery capacity and health information systems continue to limit equitable access to care.

Strengthening health systems is therefore essential to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage, ensure resilience to health emergencies, and deliver quality health services for all populations.

The work of the HSS Cluster is anchored in the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach, which integrates health system functions and prioritizes accessible, community-centred services as the foundation of strong and resilient health systems.

The Health Systems and Services Cluster serves as a central driver of health systems transformation in the African Region.

By aligning financing, workforce development, service delivery, medicines and technologies, data systems, research and governance into a coherent platform for health system strengthening, the Cluster is accelerating progress toward:

• Universal Health Coverage
• Financial protection
• High-quality health services
• System resilience
• Equity and inclusion

Together with Member States and partners, the HSS Cluster is working to build stronger systems, smarter investments and better health outcomes for all people in Africa.

The Health Systems and Services (HSS) Cluster brings together eight technical teams that collectively address the core components of health systems strengthening across the African Region.

These teams work together to support countries in building resilient, equitable and people-centred health systems aligned with Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage.

Our areas of work include:

• Health Financing and Governance
• Health Workforce
• Integrated Service Delivery and Primary Health Care
• Medicines, Diagnostics and Health Technologies
• Health Information and Knowledge Management
• Research, Digital Health and Innovation
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
• Family and Reproductive Health

Learn more about each area of work through the health topic pages above.