Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems

Strengthening health systems, policies and interventions to benefit the poor

In many low and middle income countries, health systems are failing to address the needs of all people. Those who are socially marginalised face particular constraints in accessing health services and many are not protected against the catastrophic costs of care. Weak health systems can therefore exacerbate ill-health, inequalities and poverty, undermining progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

We aim to generate knowledge about how to strengthen health systems policies and interventions in ways that benefit marginalised groups in these countries.

Research highlights

A policy brief by our partners at the
Kemri-Wellcome Trust highlights the challenges and recommendations for implementing the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy in Kenya.

Latest news

December 2008

CREHS newsletter The latest issue of the CREHS newsletter focuses on health worker performance and includes updates about our current research in Kenya, South Africa and Thailand. To subscribe to the CREHS newsletter, please email

September 2008

Special issue of Health Policy and Planning The journal Health Policy and Planning has published a special issue on health policy analysis. It is titled "Future Directions for Health Policy Analysis: a Tribute to the Work of Professor Gill Walt". The edition is based on a workshop organised by the Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems; the HLSP Institute; Kings College, London; and the Overseas Development Institute.

August 2008

New CREHS blog We have set up a blog to document our current research on health workers in three countries. We will investigate the attitudes, job preferences and career choices of a cohort of nursing graduates in Kenya, South Africa and Thailand. The blog currently includes pictures from data collection in South Africa and will be used to maintain contact with and get feedback from cohort members.

SHIELD Research Meeting Our Tanzanian and South African partners have been attending a meeting in Zanzibar as part of the EU funded SHIELD (Strategies for Health Insurance for Equity in Less Developed Countries) project. This project is led by the Health Economics Unit at the University of Cape Town and examines the role of social health insurance in South Africa, Tanzania and Ghana.