Michigan State University

College of Osteopathic Medicine

Health Systems Strengthening and Global Health Policy

Health systems strengthening and global health policy involves working with various stakeholders at national, provincial and district levels, to sustainably improve the performance and outcomes of health systems globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes six building blocks of a health system: health service delivery; health workforce; health information systems; access to medical products, vaccines, and technologies; health systems financing; and leadership and governance. Integrated multi-sectoral health systems strengthening leads to health security and universal health coverage (Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.8)

Dr. Irfan works with governments, multi-lateral donors, non-government organizations (NGOs), and communities in developing countries for health systems strengthening, health policy, universal health coverage and global health security.

Publications

  • Irfan FB, Telford B, Hollon N, Dehghani A, Schukow C, Syed AY, Rego RT, Waljee AK, Cunningham W, Ahmed FS. Coronavirus pandemic in the South Asia region: Health policy and economy trade-off. J Glob Health. 2023 May 5;13:06014.
  • Irfan FB, Minetti R, Telford B, Ahmed FS, Syed AY, Hollon N, Brauman SC, Cunningham W, Awad ME, Saleh KJ, Waljee AK, Brusselaers N. Coronavirus pandemic in the Nordic countries: Health policy and economy trade-off. J Glob Health. 2022 Aug 8;12:05017.
  • Rego RT, Ngugi AK, Sophie Delius AJ, Luchters S, Kolars JC, Irfan FB, Weinheimer-Haus E, Abubakar A, Shah R, Zhu J, Boulton ML, Hofer T, Waljee AK. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among non-refugees and refugees in Kenya. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022 Aug 24;2(8):e0000917.
  • Irfan FB, Consunji RIGDJ, Janahi IA, Alinier G. Health research-strengthening and capacity development: Research support system model in an academic healthcare system. Qatar Med J. 2022 Aug 5;2022(3):36.
  • Noreen N, Rehman SAU, Naveed I, Niazi SUK, Furqan IB. Pakistan's COVID-19 Outbreak Preparedness and Response: A Situational Analysis. Health Secur. 2021 Nov;19(6):605-615.
  • Irfan FB, Pathan SA, Bhutta ZA, Abbasy ME, Elmoheen A, Elsaeidy AM, Tariq T, Hugelmeyer CD, Dardouri H, Bad Shah NBK, Daniel CY, Silva AD, Farook KS, Sharma Y, Thomas SH. Health System Response and Adaptation to the Largest Sandstorm in the Middle East. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2017 Apr;11(2):227-238.
  • Irfan FB, Irfan BB, Spiegel DA. Barriers to accessing surgical care in Pakistan: healthcare barrier model and quantitative systematic review. J Surg Res. 2012 Jul;176(1):84-94.