China-Australia Health and HIV/AIDS Facility (2007-2012)

The Facility’s major aims were to:

• Improve China’s capacity to strengthen its health systems
• Protect its population against emerging infectious diseases
• Halt and reverse the spread of HIV.

From 2007-2012, CAHHF approved 52 research and development activities. These were led by 29 Chinese organisations, working in partnership with 26 Australian partner institutions.

CAHHF contributed in a variety of ways, including:

• engagement with health policy and health system strengthening, especially in current health reform areas
• promotion of sustainable China-Australia partnerships
• development of capacity in China’s health system
• promotion of gender equality
• demonstration of regional impact.

The majority of activities directly supported the five key priorities of China’s health care reform:

• Accelerate development of the basic health insurance system (3 activities)
• Establish a national essential drugs system (2 activities)
• Strengthen the primary health care service system (21 activities)
• Steadily expand access to basic public health services (18 activities)
• Advance public hospital reform (5 activities)

Supporting health policy development and health system strengthening:

• CAHHF research findings or policy recommendations have been used in 54 national or local level policy documents.
• CAHHF policy relevant research has been published in 152 articles in national journals and eight articles in international journals.

Creation of sustainable Australian and Chinese partnerships:

• CAHHF has strengthened existing partnerships and supported new partnerships by providing additional avenues for collaborative work on policy-relevant topics.
• CAHHF-supported partnerships are now leading to formal longer-term relationships that have the potential to be sustained and expand beyond CAHHF.

Increased capacity within China’s health system:

• CAHHF activities produced stronger policies, strategies, guidelines and technical resources in key health reform areas, which are better informed by evidence.
• New models for better delivery of health services were demonstrated through CAHHF-supported activities.
• CAHHF facilitated a shared understanding between policy-makers and research institutions on how to generate evidence for effective health policy.

Greater gender equality in health:

• CAHHF improved capacity to integrate gender into the design and implementation of activities in order to achieve greater gender equality in health.

Regional impact:

• CAHHF supported activities on emerging infectious diseases have high potential for positive regional outcomes. China is an important player in regional and international efforts to prevent and control such diseases.
• CAHHF supported global health diplomacy training involving senior health officials from the Pacific Islands, building capacity to contribute to the global policy environment for health.