IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/glopol/v13y2022i2p193-207.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Taking Systems Thinking to the Global Level: Using the WHO Building Blocks to Describe and Appraise the Global Health System in Relation to COVID‐19

Author

Listed:
  • Josephine Borghi
  • Garrett W. Brown

Abstract

Adequately preparing for and containing global shocks, such as COVID‐19, is a key challenge facing health systems globally. COVID‐19 highlights that health systems are multilevel systems, a continuum from local to global. Goals and monitoring indicators have been key to strengthening national health systems but are missing at the supranational level. A framework to strengthen the global system—the global health actors and the governance, finance, and delivery arrangements within which they operate—is urgently needed. In this article, we illustrate how the World Health Organization Building Blocks framework, which has been used to monitor the performance of national health systems, can be applied to describe and appraise the global health system and its response to COVID‐19, and identify potential reforms. Key weaknesses in the global response included: fragmented and voluntary financing; non‐transparent pricing of medicines and supplies, poor quality standards, and inequities in procurement and distribution; and weak leadership and governance. We also identify positive achievements and identify potential reforms of the global health system for greater resilience to future shocks. We discuss the limitations of the Building Blocks framework and future research directions and reflect on political economy challenges to reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Josephine Borghi & Garrett W. Brown, 2022. "Taking Systems Thinking to the Global Level: Using the WHO Building Blocks to Describe and Appraise the Global Health System in Relation to COVID‐19," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(2), pages 193-207, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:13:y:2022:i:2:p:193-207
    DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.13081
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13081
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1758-5899.13081?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ottersen, Trygve & Kamath, Aparna & Moon, Suerie & Martinsen, Lene & Røttingen, John-Arne, 2017. "Development assistance for health: what criteria do multi- and bilateral funders use?," Health Economics, Policy and Law, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 223-244, April.
    2. Aisling Irwin, 2021. "What it will take to vaccinate the world against COVID-19," Nature, Nature, vol. 592(7853), pages 176-178, April.
    3. Agnès Soucat & Ilona Kickbusch, 2020. "Global Common Goods for Health: Towards a New Framework for Global Financing," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 11(5), pages 628-635, November.
    4. Simon J. Evenett, 2020. "Sicken thy neighbour: The initial trade policy response to COVID‐19," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 828-839, April.
    5. Atul Sharma & Shankar Prinja & Arun Kumar Aggarwal, 2019. "Comprehensive measurement of health system performance at district level in India: Generation of a composite index," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 1783-1799, October.
    6. Moon, Suerie & Omole, Oluwatosin, 2017. "Development assistance for health: critiques, proposals and prospects for change," Health Economics, Policy and Law, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 207-221, April.
    7. Ewen Callaway, 2020. "The unequal scramble for coronavirus vaccines — by the numbers," Nature, Nature, vol. 584(7822), pages 506-507, August.
    8. Ottersen, Trygve & Moon, Suerie & Røttingen, John-Arne, 2017. "Distributing development assistance for health: simulating the implications of 11 criteria," Health Economics, Policy and Law, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 245-263, April.
    9. King-wa Fu & Yuner Zhu, 2020. "Did the world overlook the media’s early warning of COVID-19?," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(7-8), pages 1047-1051, August.
    10. Trisya Rakmawati & Reece Hinchcliff & Jerico Franciscus Pardosi, 2019. "District‐level impacts of health system decentralization in Indonesia: A systematic review," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 1026-1053, April.
    11. Lucy Gilson & Kara Hanson & Kabir Sheikh & Irene Akua Agyepong & Freddie Ssengooba & Sara Bennett, 2011. "Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: Social Science Matters," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-6, August.
    12. David Held & Ilona Kickbusch & Kyle McNally & Dario Piselli & Michaela Told, 2019. "Gridlock, Innovation and Resilience in Global Health Governance," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 10(2), pages 161-177, May.
    13. Sara Bennett & Irene Akua Agyepong & Kabir Sheikh & Kara Hanson & Freddie Ssengooba & Lucy Gilson, 2011. "Building the Field of Health Policy and Systems Research: An Agenda for Action," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-5, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anuj Kapilashrami & Roomi Aziz, 2023. "Pandemic preparedness with 20/20 vision: Applying an intersectional equity lens to health workforce planning," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1117-1126, September.
    2. Orwa Al-Abdulla & Abdulkarim Ekzayez & Agneta Kallström & Camilo Valderrama & Maher Alaref & Jussi Kauhanen, 2023. "Health system recovery in Northwest Syria–challenges and operationalization," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Topp, Stephanie M. & Tully, Josslyn & Cummins, Rachel & Graham, Veronica & Yashadhana, Aryati & Elliott, Lana & Taylor, Sean, 2022. "Building patient trust in health systems: A qualitative study of facework in the context of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker role in Queensland, Australia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    2. Lenka Benova & Ann-Beth Moller & Allisyn C Moran, 2019. "“What gets measured better gets done better”: The landscape of validation of global maternal and newborn health indicators through key informant interviews," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Taufique Joarder & Asha George & Syed Masud Ahmed & Sabina Faiz Rashid & Malabika Sarker, 2017. "What constitutes responsiveness of physicians: A qualitative study in rural Bangladesh," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Magrath, Priscilla & Nichter, Mark, 2012. "Paying for performance and the social relations of health care provision: An anthropological perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(10), pages 1778-1785.
    5. Closser, Svea & Mendenhall, Emily & Brown, Peter & Neill, Rachel & Justice, Judith, 2022. "The anthropology of health systems: A history and review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    6. Taghreed Adam & Saad Ahmad & Maryam Bigdeli & Abdul Ghaffar & John-Arne Røttingen, 2011. "Trends in Health Policy and Systems Research over the Past Decade: Still Too Little Capacity in Low-Income Countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(11), pages 1-10, November.
    7. Colvin, Christopher J., 2022. "Understanding global health policy engagements with qualitative research: Qualitative evidence syntheses and the OptimizeMNH guidelines," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    8. Claudia Nieto-Sanchez & Benjamin R Bates & Darwin Guerrero & Sylvia Jimenez & Esteban G Baus & Koen Peeters Grietens & Mario J Grijalva, 2019. "Home improvement and system-based health promotion for sustainable prevention of Chagas disease: A qualitative study," PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(6), pages 1-24, June.
    9. Taghreed El Hajj & Stefanie Gregorius & Justin Pulford & Imelda Bates, 2020. "Strengthening capacity for natural sciences research: A qualitative assessment to identify good practices, capacity gaps and investment priorities in African research institutions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, January.
    10. Edwine W Barasa & Anthony M Manyara & Sassy Molyneux & Benjamin Tsofa, 2017. "Recentralization within decentralization: County hospital autonomy under devolution in Kenya," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-18, August.
    11. Mladovsky, Philipa, 2020. "Fragmentation by design: Universal health coverage policies as governmentality in Senegal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    12. Shilpa Surendran & Chuan De Foo & Chen Hee Tam & Elaine Qiao Ying Ho & David Bruce Matchar & Josip Car & Gerald Choon Huat Koh, 2021. "The Missed Opportunity of Patient-Centered Medical Homes to Thrive in an Asian Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    13. Hutchinson, Eleanor & Mundua, Sunday & Ochero, Lydia & Mbonye, Anthony & Clarke, Sian E., 2022. "Life in the buffer zone: Social relations and surplus health workers in Uganda's medicines retail sector," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    14. Kerry Scott & Asha S George & Steven A Harvey & Shinjini Mondal & Gupteswar Patel & Rajani Ved & Surekha Garimella & Kabir Sheikh, 2017. "Beyond form and functioning: Understanding how contextual factors influence village health committees in northern India," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, August.
    15. Obinna Onwujekwe & Enyi Etiaba & Chinyere Mbachu & Ifeyinwa Arize & Chikezie Nwankwor & Uchenna Ezenwaka & Chinyere Okeke & Nkoli Ezumah & Benjamin Uzochukwu, 2020. "Does improving the skills of researchers and decision-makers in health policy and systems research lead to enhanced evidence-based decision making in Nigeria?—A short term evaluation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Das, Priya & Newton-Lewis, Tom & Khalil, Karima & Rajadhyaksha, Madhavi & Nagpal, Phalasha, 2022. "How performance targets can ingrain a culture of ‘performing out’: An ethnography of two Indian primary healthcare facilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    17. Coburn, Josie & Yaqub, Ohid & Chataway, Joanna, 2022. "Targeting research to address societal needs: What can we learn from 30 years of targeting neglected diseases?," SocArXiv 65ws7, Center for Open Science.
    18. Maryam Bigdeli & Shamsa Zafar & Hafeez Assad & Adbul Ghaffar, 2013. "Health System Barriers to Access and Use of Magnesium Sulfate for Women with Severe Pre-Eclampsia and Eclampsia in Pakistan: Evidence for Policy and Practice," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(3), pages 1-9, March.
    19. Kline, Nolan, 2022. "Health and immigration systems as an ethnographic field: Methodological lessons from examining immigration enforcement and health in the US," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    20. Eline Moens & Louis Lippens & Philippe Sterkens & Johannes Weytjens & Stijn Baert, 2022. "The COVID-19 crisis and telework: a research survey on experiences, expectations and hopes," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(4), pages 729-753, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:glopol:v:13:y:2022:i:2:p:193-207. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/lsepsuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.