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Health system strengthening (HSS)

With the help of HSS support, countries can tackle weaknesses they have identified in their health systems which impede immunisation. GAVI believes strong health systems are central to increased immunisation coverage and to ensuring life-saving vaccines reach the world’s children.

The GAVI Alliance Board has committed US $800 million over a five-year period to HSS. The funding is flexible and long term as barriers to immunisation vary from country to country and health ministries need to be able to plan improvements to best suit their needs. Frequently they include:

  • Limited local management and supervisory skills
  • Infrastructure failures (transport or equipment)
  • Workforce numbers, motivation and training

GAVI’s Health System Strengthening (HSS) support assists countries to overcome these bottlenecks which often impact other child and maternal health care initiatives too.

Barriers to immunisation (PDF 86K) outside the control of immunisation programmes, and which negatively affect the provision of services and reduce programme performance, is the subject of a report by Norad in 2004.

All GAVI-eligible countries can apply for HSS funding.

View HSS Principles.

Read how to apply for HSS.

Part of GAVI's strategy to strengthen capacity

One of GAVI’s four strategic goals is to contribute to strengthening the capacity of countries’ health systems to deliver immunisation and other health services in a sustainable manner.

As well as HSS support, GAVI provides two other types of support aimed at specifically at achieving this goal: