In December 2021, the World Health Organization launched the Country Connector on Private Sector and Health, a platform initially designed to assist in making informed decisions about the private sector and access to health, while providing a foundation for strategic actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Historically, there has been much said about problems, but not enough about solutions when it comes to working with the private sector in health, explained David Clarke, acting unit head of the health systems governance team at WHO. “We've taken a fresh approach and tried to look at what we can do to provide countries with practical advice on how to work with the private sector to solve health systems problems and improve health care, with a focus on supporting countries' needs within their unique contexts,” he said.
More recently, the platform’s purpose has moved beyond its initial COVID focus into a long-term vision of enhancing overall health system performance and resilience. It incorporates curated guidance documents, working groups, a tool repository, training, a helpdesk, research, and reports on implementing solutions.
Speaking to Devex, Clark said that the platform’s focus is to provide countries with concrete tools and guidance. "We're trying to move away from frameworks. What we are interested in is the everyday practice of health governance in countries,” he noted.
In an interview with Devex, Clarke expanded on the progress made by the country connector since its inception, including the development of a new progression pathway tool for the governance of mixed health systems, policy tools for maternal and child health, and efforts to spotlight impactful grassroots projects that often go unnoticed.
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