A strategy borne out of global challenges

The Global HPH Strategy 2021-2025 was prepared in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, referred to as a syndemic by The Lancet (Horton R. Offline: COVID-19 is not a pandemic. Lancet. 2020 Sep 26;396)^.. On all continents and for most of 2020, this momentous public health crisis dominated the lives of citizens, businesses, governments – and the work of hospitals and health services. We were reminded that the people who work in and are treated by our hospitals and health services are our family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The pandemic demonstrated how vital it is that every community and every individual can access properly equipped, capable and safe health services. It reinforced that we should all be able to experience kindness and compassionate care of our bodies, minds, and spirits, and to be connected into community health resources and groups that can help us thrive. It also highlighted the significance of spaces (public, private and virtual) for preventing health problems, for healing, and for living, working, and playing. Many prevailing and persistent issues affecting health were brought into focus for policy makers, businesses, and citizens around the world in 2020. For example, attention was drawn to the central importance of “one health” ; the consequences of unplanned and rapid urbanization; the ageing of populations; the health implications of large numbers of people moving within and between territories; the widening health inequalities everywhere ; and the profound health impacts of racial, gender and income inequalities and all forms of discrimination and violence8. While the pandemic unfolded, the prevalence of many noncommunicable and other communicable diseases continued to increase in low, middle and high-income contexts, creating stress on all aspects of health systems and services and health workforces.

Three Goals are defined that recognize the policy context for this Global HPH Strategy and will enable the International HPH Network to grow and make measurable impacts in the 2021-2025 period. These are:
1. To influence governance, policy and partnerships so that health systems and health services can reorient towards health, wellbeing and health equity outcomes.
2. To build the capacity of hospitals and health services to reorient by creating commitment, and adapting and sharing evidence, tools, methods and resources.
3. To cultivate the next generation of HPH leadership.

READ MORE: https://www.hphnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Global_HPH_Strategy-2021-2025.pdf