The concept of a health system is complex and broad as it extends far beyond traditional medicine and healthcare. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides a widely acknowledged definition stating, A health system consists of all organizations, people and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore or maintain health (WHO, 2000). This definition extends to reflect the complexities of delivering modern healthcare, which are but not limited to public health promotion, preventive care, palliative care and all collective efforts to address the social determinants of health that impact the overall well-being of a targeted population. A comprehensive health system is not static but is dynamic with a network of interconnected elements designed to protect the population from financial catastrophes and the burdens of diseases. Health systems may vary across countries however; the overall goals and structural components remain the same. Health systems need to achieve three main goals: to deliver healthcare that is equitable, efficient, and responsive and meets the health expectations of the target population without any financial hardships. To function effectively, a health system relies on the six core components, often referred to as the “WHO Building Blocks (WHO, 2013) which are leadership and governance, the health workforce, service delivery, financing, medicinal products and technologies. These building blocks need to be interconnected and aligned to ensure healthy populations and health security is created while supporting the goals and achievement of universal health coverage (UHC).
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