Health Systems Trust (HST) hosted a conference from 4-6 May 2016 at the Birchwood Conference Centre, Boksburg, Gauteng.  Under the banner of Health for all through strengthened health systems: sharing, supporting, synergising, the event is designed to advance the global public health agenda in improving health outcomes. 

The conference provided a forum in which those who contribute in various ways to the South African health system were able to exchange ideas, develop support mechanisms for common challenges, and foster synergies between interested groups whilst offering a vibrant non-conventional conference experience.

The three-day conference attracted approximately 400 healthcare workers from the public and private sectors as well as policy- and decision-makers, civil society groupings and academics. 

The past decade has seen an unprecedented wave of change and reform in order to strengthen the effectiveness of health systems, primarily through the introduction of primary health care re-engineering, National Health Insurance, and quality improvement and assurance.   In addition,  a range of programmatic activities designed to move towards increasing life expectancy, decreasing maternal and child mortality and combating HIV and AIDS and decreasing the burden of disease from TB have been implemented on a wide scale. New initiatives such as the 90-90-90 targets and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals bring a further dimension to health systems strengthening.

Collaborations among healthcare workers and stakeholders have researched, devised and applied a range of strategies and models to translate these reforms into reality.

The HST conference provided an opportunity to discuss challenges faced and solutions adopted at various levels in the health system.