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Working Paper: What is a Shock-Responsive Health System?

This working paper sets out a model of shock-responsiveness in health systems.

The world is seeing an increased incidence of shocks – whether from natural hazards, epidemics like COVID-19, or conflict. Shocks are often responded to through humanitarian systems that run parallel to national public service delivery systems. This approach misses opportunities to strengthen national systems to manage future shocks, and is increasingly viewed as being unsustainable.

This working paper sets out a model of shock-responsiveness in health systems, with the purpose of standardising the conceptual approach and facilitating comparative learning and synthesis. As a working document, Maintains is actively seeking feedback to refine and improve this model.

Authored by Tom Newton-Lewis, Sophie Witter, Matt Fortnam, Andrew Seal, Peter Hailey, Rithika Nair, and Debbie Hillier.