Children under five and women living in remote regions benefit from better access to medical treatment thanks to Switzerland's efforts in the realm of family medicine. © SDC

Good governance and the efficient management of resources are key factors in a well-functioning health sector. The SDC promotes the strengthening of health care systems in developing and transition countries. Switzerland strives to promote universal health coverage through its activities both to establish social protection mechanisms and to advocate for access to quality health care for the most vulnerable. 

SDC focus

Financing health

The SDC's support for health sector reforms in its partner countries is based on a thorough analysis of the prevailing political, economic and social contexts. Its aim: to guarantee access to quality health services for the poorest.

A combination of research and action enables the SDC to encourage the development of innovative financing and payment mechanisms for health services. Its interventions are always aligned with national policies and priorities, and implemented in direct cooperation with its governmental, non-governmental and private partners in the health sector. This approach seeks to develop a form of social protection capable of preventing the most vulnerable members of society from plunging into poverty as a result of their expenditure on health-related problems. SDC projects focus on the public sector and providing support to public-private partnerships. 

Governance and participation

The SDC promotes efforts to establish better governance in the health sector and supports both governmental and non-governmental actors in this objective as they strive to develop a culture of accountability, wage war on corruption and achieve transparency in the allocation and utilisation of resources.

At the community level, the SDC supports health promotion initiatives which involve marginalised and disadvantaged population groups. All users are encouraged to participate in the management and follow-up of health services as this helps reduce access barriers to care and leads to better health outcomes. This process of social empowerment enables users to know and assert their rights, and allows health care professionals to better respond to the needs of the population by offering quality care.

Determinants of health

The health of individuals and communities depends on a multitude of economic, social, cultural and environmental factors. SDC projects give priority to cooperation and coordination between different sectors (water, agriculture, education, etc.) in order to influence the various factors that constitute "determinants of health". Its activities also aim to encourage behavioural change and ensure that the poorest of the poor can exercise their right to health.

The SDC cooperates with other federal departments and offices such as the Human Security Division (HSD) and the FDFA's Sectoral Foreign Policies Division, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Context

Faced with growing populations in the low-income countries and the ageing of the global population, establishing efficient and equitable health systems is a priority. However, health care systems in a large number of countries suffer from a lack of investment and poor management of the available resources, with services relying too heavily on external funding. As a result, infrastructure, technologies and equipment are lacking, and there is an acute shortage of qualified health workers. Furthermore, the absence of social protection mechanisms forces patients to cover a large part of the costs themselves, thereby exacerbating the inequalities in access to care. At the end of the day, the economic consequences of a poor health care system are hindering development in the countries concerned.

In its position on health for the post-2015 agenda, Switzerland aspires to maximise health for all in all life stages. The long-term objective is to achieve universal health coverage and take coordinated action on the social, economic, cultural and environmental determinants of health. After all, the conditions in which people are born, raised and work have an impact on their state of health. Adopting an approach to health that involves other sectors such as water, sanitation, education and food security is therefore absolutely essential to overcoming inequalities.

Documents

Swiss Contributions to Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, complete study (PDF, Number of pages 102, 934.0 kB, English)

Swiss Contributions to Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, summary (PDF, Number of pages 6, 3.3 MB, English)

Qualitative research on foreign health personnel in Switzerland and their recruitment (PDF, 635.5 kB, German)

WHO Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property: the Contribution of Switzerland (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Human Resources for Health Development in Low- and Middle- Income Countries Health Brief (PDF, Number of pages 4, 274.3 kB, English)

Health despite poverty: a SDC-Sponsored project changes people's perspective Central Asia Project Briefing (PDF, Number of pages 4, 898.0 kB)


Healthcare for remote regions: an SDC project in Kyrgyzstan sets the standard Central Asia Project Briefing (PDF, Number of pages 4, 809.4 kB)

Article on family doctors in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PDF, Page 1, 54.7 kB, German)


Lessons learned from evaluations on community participation and civil society involvement in health (PDF, 291.8 kB, English)

Current projects

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International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) / Phase VII of core contribution (2021-2024)

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2024

Switzerland has since many years a very proactive asset recovery policy, and has returned more than USD 2 bio. of stolen assets to countries of origin. The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) is a Swiss based, independent competence centre in asset recovery. Its mission is supporting affected countries to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, with the goal of strengthening anti-corruption institutions and recovering stolen public assets. Due to the growing demand by developing countries for support in asset recovery, and ICAR’s unique position in this field, Switzerland / SDC continue will continue this strategic partnership.


P4H – Global Network for Health Financing and Social Protection

01.01.2021 - 30.04.2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the need for sustainable financing of health systems so that they can adequately respond to shocks and maintain quality essential services even during a health crisis. The Global Network for Health Financing and Social Protection (P4H) provides coordinated support of multilateral and bilateral partners to low and middle-income countries that want to raise more domestic resources for health and use available financing effectively for key health priorities.


UNDP – Core Contribution 2021

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2021

UNDP is the leading UN organisation working on poverty eradication, governance, rule of law and conflict prevention. It also provides coordination and back office services to the UN Resident Coordinator System. Switzerland supports UNDP because it is its most important partner in the UN Development System to work on poverty eradication, sustainable development, good governance and conflict prevention. 


Fighting diseases of poverty: Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi)

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2024

Neglected tropical diseases mainly affect poor and marginalised populations in low and middle-income countries who have no purchasing power. This is the main reason why there is no incentive for the private sector to develop appropriate treatments for these diseases. The private-public partnership Drug for Neglected Disease initiative based in Geneva develops and provides worldwide access to new and improved treatments. Swiss research contributes to these efforts.  


Towards effective Global Water Governance (Core contribution to the Global Water Partnership)

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2025

Sound and integrated water resources management is needed more than ever to respond to the global water crisis and to translate the agenda 2030 on water into action. Multi-stakeholder networks such as the Global Water Partnership (GWP) play a crucial role in supporting inclusive decision-making and in moderating between different interest groups and perspectives to enable the creation and maintenance of momentum for coordinated action.


Program Contribution to the Alliance Terre des Hommes Schweiz-Suisse 2021-2022

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2022

Terre des hommes schweiz and Terre des Hommes Suisse have formed an alliance to pool their expertise to address the root causes of exclusion and vulnerability of children and young people. tdh schweiz is competent in participatory approaches for young people and focuses on promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, a culture of peace and sustainable livelihoods. TdH Suisse has a strong expertise in the integrated promotion of the right to participation, protection against exploitation and violence, and education, including education for sustainable development. 


Program contribution Alliance Biovision CEAS 2021-2022

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2022

Biovision and the Center for Ecology Albert Schweizer (CEAS) jointly support inclusive ecological development of healthy, resilient, and prosperous communities in Sub-Sahara Africa by addressing root causes and effects of fragility. The new Alliance promotes innovative solutions in agriculture and food systems, renewable energy, sanitation and health in collaboration with private sector and research. Biovision facilitates policy dialogue at local and international level on the sustainable transformation of food systems and the implementation of the Agenda 2030. 


An inclusive world in which all persons enjoy their human rights and a decent life, and achieve their full potential

01.01.2021 - 31.12.2022

Fairmed and Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) have joined forces in the LNOB Alliance. It works in fragile contexts, prioritizing the needs of the most marginalized and discriminated people especially of women, men, girls and boys with disabilities. It seeks to improve living conditions of individuals and empowering marginalized communities while also strengthening inclusive systems and services. The Alliance contributes to the implementation of the UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Switzerland ratified in 2014.


Skateistan

15.12.2020 - 31.12.2024

The Skateistan programme offers quality educational, sport and recreational opportunities to Afghan children and youth from low-income families, street working children, and children with disabilities. The programme facilitates the reintegration of out-of-school children into the formal public school system. Switzerland supports the Skateistan programme to contribute to create equitable, safe, and conducive learning opportunities especially for girls and marginalized children. 


Contribution to the UN-REDD Pro-gramme (single phase)

15.12.2020 - 31.12.2025

Forests are a central solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, their sustainable management is an imperative for the planet but also for millions of vulnerable people. The UN-REDD Programme is a key player in accelerating the implementation of appropriate policies and actions in tropical low and lower-middle income countries to reduce deforestation and restore forests. The contribution will allow for a strong Swiss engagement jointly with the Federal Office of the Environment, and for the capitalization of existing work of the four SDC domains on forest ecosystems and related livelihoods.


Redevabilité, sécurité et prévention de l’extrémisme violent pour les citoyennes et citoyens tunisiens RESPECT

01.12.2020 - 30.11.2026

L’intervention renforce la gouvernance du secteur de sécurité tunisien et les capacités institutionnelles de prévention de l’extrémisme violent. Elle contribue ainsi à une meilleure protection des citoyennes et des citoyens tunisiens à travers une assistance vers une gestion de la sécurité redevable et efficace, et à travers un soutien à la définition et à la mise en œuvre de politiques publiques limitant le phénomène de l’extrémisme violent.

 


Strengthening the Anti-Corruption Committee of Armenia

01.12.2020 - 30.11.2022

In partnership with the OSCE, Switzerland supports the Armenian Government in establishing a new Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC). This specialized body will be key in investigating and combatting corruption crimes. Through capacity-building activities and policy support, the ACC will be in a position to contribute to curb corruption, strengthen the Anti-Corruption system and the rule-of-law in the context of the Government’s Anti-Corruption Strategy 2019.

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