Quality primary health care (PHC)

Transforming how PHC is financed, delivered and measured 

Quality primary health care

Why primary health care?

Strong primary health care can manage chronic conditions and help stop infectious disease outbreaks, but many countries struggle to make it accessible, accountable, cost-effective and coordinated. 

$6,000,000,000,000

of economic welfare lost each year due to poor quality health care systems. 

Making high-quality primary health care a reality will save millions of lives.

Quality primary health care in action

Health care workers participate in a patient simulation simulation exercise in Sierra Leone.

How fake patients are helping real health facilities prevent epidemics

In Nigeria, this pilot program is making blood pressure treatment affordable for all

Turning the tide on blood pressure control in Sri Lanka

How we strengthen primary health care

Since 2017, our multidisciplinary team has worked with global, regional and country-level partners to build and bolster comprehensive health care systems from the ground up.   

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Partners

World Health Organisation (WHO)

Benchmarks for health emergencies

We partner with the World Health Organization to standardize best practices for preparedness, including developing a benchmarking tool to simplify and accelerate preparedness planning under International Health Regulations.

The cost of health care worker infections

In our advocacy efforts to protect health care workers, we released a joint report with the World Bank to calculate the true cost of health care worker infections during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as wider socioeconomic implications.

How we work

We strengthen primary health care by embedding public health functions for epidemic preparedness, enabling smarter care through digital and data systems, advancing chronic disease management, and securing sustainable financing.

Learn more about our approach

photograph featuring public health leaders in conversation, resolve to save lives epidemic prevention

Where we work: Primary health care

PHCQS_OnePage_Overview-1_Updated-April-2026-pdf

Overview: Primary Health Care Questions for Surveys

Resolve to Save Lives
May 11, 2026
A one-page overview of the PHCQS initiative, covering its objectives, development process, and current survey deployments across countries.
ERPHCFramework-Cover

Emergency-Ready Primary Health Care (ERPHC) Framework and Operational Guide

RTSL and WHO
May 11, 2026
The ERPHC Framework and Operational Guide offers a practical approach to embedding preparedness, response and resilience within routine PHC systems.
erphc-measles-article-thumbnail

ERPHC and 7-1-7: A Measles Case Study in Sierra Leone

Resolve to Save Lives
October 10, 2025
A study of 52 measles cases across 4 primary health facilities in Sierra Leone showed failed surge readiness due to supply gaps and referral pathways
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Global Development Assistance for Health Allocated to Cardiovascular Disease Control, 2015 to 2022

Journal of American College of Cardiology
December 1, 2025
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide yet CVD prevention efforts remain starkly underfunded. A new landmark report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology quantifies…

Latest news

Emergency-Ready Primary Health Care (ERPHC) Framework and Operational Guide

May 11, 2026
The ERPHC Framework and Operational Guide offers a practical approach to embedding preparedness, response and resilience within routine PHC systems.…

Strengthening epidemic readiness at the frontline: Insights from ERPHC implementation in Ethiopia

April 29, 2026
Reflections on the Epidemic-Ready Primary Health Care in Ethiopia, including key lessons and a path forward to stronger epidemic readiness in PHC…

Building “Emergency-Ready” health systems

February 27, 2026
The ERPHC framework prepares primary health care systems to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies while maintaining essential health services.…