Morgan, Julia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6218-7593, Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4449-0131 and Shumba, Constance (2026) Strengthening Health Systems for improvements in maternal and child health. In: Ehiri, John E., (ed.) Maternal and Child Health, Vol. 1 Global Challenges, Programs, and Policies. Springer, New York, NY. ISBN 978-1071654279 (In Press)

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Abstract

Health systems have been defined, by the World Health Organization (2000), as “all activities which have the primary purpose to promote, restore or maintain health”. It is through health systems that health services are delivered to the public including activities such as preventative health services (for example, child immunisations and breastfeeding promotion initiatives), diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, provision of services in hospitals and in the community at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, as well as other activities such as how health services are planned, delivered, managed, financed and regulated, training of the health workforce, and the supply and production of medical drugs (Skolnik, 2016). These activities can be provided by a range of multisectoral organisations including the public sector, private for-profit and private not-for-profit organisations, public-private partnerships, as well as by communities including families. Health systems are vital in improving maternal and child outcomes and how health systems can be strengthened has become a key global concern. This chapter gives an overview of health systems and their key building blocks, and outlines ways in which health systems can be strengthened to improve maternal and child health.

Item Type:	Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Health Systems, maternal and child health, Sustainable Development Goals
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Inequalities Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	08 Jun 2026 16:15
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/53706

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