Health systems strengthening and efforts towards health security need to be integrated, avoiding vertical and siloed approaches, to promote sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness at national and subnational level. Strong, comprehensive health systems enable health security while, in turn, health security facilitates health systems strengthening. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health security are complementary goals that require an integrated and multi-sectorial systems strengthening approach. Such an approach yields resilient health systems capable of providing quality UHC, more equitable health outcomes and improved wellbeing across populations.

Integrated health systems strengthening for emergencies include building health systems resilience through essential public health functions, developing multi-sectoral partnership and private sector engagement for health system strengthening, and performing health systems’ roles in International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) implementation at the national and subnational levels - all of which contribute to UHC and global health security objectives in tandem.