G20 Foundation Publications China 2016 | Page 97

A culture of continual improvement and innovation has driven a marked improvement in on-time delivery of medicines, health products and equipment in many countries. made services more accessible, timely and affordable for citizens, especially among underserved populations in rural areas. In the focal provinces, more doctors have been retained, service utilization at primary care centers has increased by 7 percent and the rate of inappropriate referrals to higher centers has dropped by 30 per cent. When systems for health are strong, people receive better quality care and more people can receive it. Many countries with strong health systems are making great strides toward ensuring that distance, inability to pay or stigma do not exclude people from receiving the quality health services they need. Senegal and Kenya have worked to find efficiencies in their delivery of services and health insurance coverage, boosting both coverage and sustainability of their respective health systems. Improvements to procurement and supply chain management are also helping to build strong systems for health. Over the last three years, a culture of continual improvement and innovation has driven a marked improvement in on-time delivery of medicines, health products and equipment in many countries. Overall savings have come through greater use of a pooled procurement mechanism. The efficiency, robustness and reliability form systems for health that can meet daily needs and for what may come in the future. When we think about improving health in our world and ending AIDS, TB and malaria as epidemics, we need to think big, long term and efficiently. We need systems for health built to be resilient and sustainable. Retaining attention and commitment to these systems is essential to build on gains of the Millennium Development Goals in order to effectively progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. We need systems for health that are themselves strong and healthy. ■ 97