Summary (English)

Strengthening health systems has become a guiding principle for many in the global health community. While the past few years have seen various developing countries and funding agencies increase their commitment, resources, and interventions for strengthening health systems, there are many competing concepts and approaches, and many ambiguities around what health systems strengthening really means and what it entails. As a result, for many health system stewards and policy-makers in the developing world, improving a health system has become a balancing act. They must weigh the need for diseasespecific programming with those targeting the health system as a whole; national priorities with global initiatives; and policy directives with “street-level” realities.

Within this landscape, the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research carved new pathways in 2009. Marking its ten-year anniversary, this past year saw the Alliance providing strong leadership in the field of health policy and systems research (HPSR). Through a combination of leading-edge activities and approaches, the Alliance stimulated and supported the generation and synthesis of policyrelevant health systems knowledge; promoted the dissemination and use of health policy and systems knowledge; and strengthened capacity to generate, synthesize and use HPSR among researchers, policy-makers and other stakeholders.