Lessons from a global review of health system resilience

Key messages:

• "Health system resilience is about the ability to withstand complex crises.
• Communication, collaboration and coordination across sectors and multiple systems are essential because resilience is not just about protecting the health system and its performance but is embedded in broader contexts – societal, political, cultural, environmental and economic.
• Core capacities matter across the shock cycle and at particular stages of a shock.
• Strengthening resilience means improving governance and implementing integrated approaches in practice. 
• Equity must be a key consideration in resilience efforts because shocks disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations and there is a risk that existing inequalities are reinforced.
• Resilience must be supported by robust assessment tools, including resilience testing. 
• Resilient health system responses can (and should) aim to transform health systems so that they do more than preserving existing functioning and improve access, quality and efficiency."