The health systems program, within the current scientific strategy, incorporates aspects of continuity from the previous INS plan. This aligns with the need to accelerate the match between technical-scientific actions and the aspirations of the Ministry of Health's (MISAU) health programs. In this regard, actions continue in the areas of technical and scientific training on health policy topics and health systems research methods. The intention to expand the critical mass of “systems thinking” through the postgraduate course is also maintained. Regarding research, the focus is on primary health care, a stated pillar of healthcare in Mozambique. The cross-cutting nature of actions and the intersection with other strategic programs of both INS and MISAU, as well as with partners, are also maintained.

The program's vision is to be a leading group in health systems research, aiming to provide evidence and contextualized solutions for the improvement of health services offered to the population in Mozambique. Its core competencies are Collaboration, Innovation, Diversity, and Courage. Its generic goals are to catalyze and conduct health systems research, strengthen researchers' capacities, and carry out longitudinal and experimental studies in health systems.

Program Objectives

• Generate evidence and propositions based on robust multidisciplinary evaluative and training activities, concerning health policies, programs, resources, and services, including the social component, in order to inform adjustments to health system interventions and models to the country's context and priorities.

Research Areas

• Pesquisa sobre a determinação sociogeográfica do acesso ao sistema de saúde nos diversos níveis de atenção;
• Research on the distribution, competencies, and working conditions of human resources in the public health system.;
• Research on quality and humanization of primary care;
• Master's Degree in Health Systems in collaboration with partners;
• Short-term training courses on qualitative methodology.

Research Projects

• Marking of prenatal and chronic disease consultations in the southern region of Mozambique;
• Health Services Readiness, Provision, and Performance Inquiry (POEM + SARA);
• Analysis of Health Determinants;
• Health Systems Assessment and Systems Policy Research: Generating and Using Evidence for Policies in Mozambique;
• Oral Health Survey in Maputo City Schools (ISOE) 2019;
• Evaluation of the Impact of PBF (Mechanisms and Effects of Performance-Based Financing in the National Health System - PEMBA);
• Evaluation of Adherence to Public Health Measures and Their Impact on the COVID-19 Outbreak in Mozambique-2020;
• Avaliação do uso de máscaras no âmbito da prevenção da COVID-19 em lugares públicos – O caso da Cidade de Maputo;
• CAP sobre a COVID-19 dos OS e Comunidade em Moçambique;
• Avaliação da Disponibilidade e Prontidão dos Serviços de Saúde para Responder a Emergência Causada pelo 2019-nCoV em Moçambique-2020;
• Cost estimate for inpatient treatment of COVID-19 patients according to national treatment protocols.

Partners

Intramural cooperation:

• Suporte ao Comité Institucional de Ética;
• Apoio a várias plataformas de análise de dados e actividades de formação e pesquisa do INS;
• Suporte ao observatório dos recursos humanos, nomeadamente nas actividades ordinárias;
• Suporte ao Observatório Nacional de Saúde;
• Among the institutions of MISAU, cooperation with the National Directorates of Public Health and Planning and Cooperation are the most prominent.

Extramural cooperation

• International Growth Center (IGC);
• Universidade de Harvard;
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM);
• Organização Mundial de Saúde;
• Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical da Universidade Nova de Lisboa;
• Global Health Institute da Universidade de Antuérpia.