Global Health
Global Communities helps people get the health care they need, in ways that work for them, so individuals and families can live healthier lives.
Health is shaped far beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics. It’s defined by the environments people live in, the food they eat, the safety they feel and the power they hold to influence decisions that directly affect them.
These conditions are often disrupted by conflict, climate shocks, and poverty — challenges that can mean the difference between a child surviving or not. Still, communities have made measurable strides: since 2000, maternal deaths have dropped by 40%, and more than 100 million additional children have lived to see their fifth birthday. This progress is rooted in resilient health systems and community-led solutions, the type of work that Global Communities excels at.
From our domestic Healthy Start initiatives to our expanded global health portfolio, strengthened by the integration of IntraHealth International’s global health expertise, we are committed to protecting these hard-won gains and going even further.
Backed by decades of experience and implemented with a range of local and global partners, our core programmatic areas include maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, family planning, HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, water, sanitation and hygiene, global health security, climate-related health threats and health workforce development.
Our approach is grounded in
Strengthening local health care
so it truly serves the community by putting people first, especially women, children, and those most at risk.
Strengthening local health care
so it truly serves the community by putting people first, especially women, children, and those most at risk.
Enhancing the systems behind health
from clinics and supply chains to trained providers — so they can serve their communities, adapt to crisis and change, all while building the foundation for lasting well-being
Enhancing the systems behind health
from clinics and supply chains to trained providers — so they can serve their communities, adapt to crisis and change, all while building the foundation for lasting well-being
Supporting frontline health workers
Ensuring frontline health workers like nurses, midwives, and community health workers have access to the skills, resources, and support they need to serve their communities with compassion and confidence.
Supporting frontline health workers
Ensuring frontline health workers like nurses, midwives, and community health workers have access to the skills, resources, and support they need to serve their communities with compassion and confidence.
Using open-source digital tools
real-time data and analytical approaches to support the people at the center of our health systems
Using open-source digital tools
real-time data and analytical approaches to support the people at the center of our health systems
Improve health policy
Linking with innovative partners, corporations, regional and local governments, and communities to improve health policy, accountability and seamless care built around individuals and families
Improve health policy
Linking with innovative partners, corporations, regional and local governments, and communities to improve health policy, accountability and seamless care built around individuals and families
Featured Program
INSPiRE: Integrated Health Services in West Africa
In West Africa, limited access to quality care puts women and newborns at high risk during pregnancy and the first months of life. Through the INSPiRE project — implemented with IntraHealth International and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — Global Communities is helping transform that reality.
The INSPiRE model integrates essential services for mothers, infants, and young children into a single visit, covering prenatal care, safe delivery, postpartum follow-up, immunizations, nutrition, and family planning. This streamlined approach reduces missed opportunities and makes care more accessible for women in remote areas.
Now active in more than 14,000 health facilities across eight countries, INSPiRE has already led to dramatic gains in family planning and well-baby visits.
Resources
South Sudan Country Brief
Digital health for mothers and newborns: Evaluating a mobile voice messaging awareness campaign in Mali, a descriptive observational study
Addressing Sanitation Market Challenges
Using Behavioral Change Communications Intervention to Create Demand and Enhance PrEP Uptake in South Sudan
Testing Outcomes of HIV-Exposed Infants (HEI) in Botswana
From Policy to Practice: The HIV Care and Treatment Project’s Experiences in Transitioning to an Optimized Regimen in Honduras
News
The Role of International Organizations in the Localization Movement: Insights from Our Partnership with Project Concern Zambia
By Chioma Okafor, Senior Technical Advisor, Local Capacity Strengthening The global development community has reached the consensus that local leadership is vital to achieving greater equity, effectiveness and sustainability of development programs. Local actors are closer to the issues, understand local needs and priorities, and can more efficiently address barriers to accessing services, including health…
Adapting for the Future Defined by Locally-Led Development: A Q&A with Our President Carrie Hessler-Radelet
By Paula Rudnicka, Sr. Manager for Public Affairs. Video production by Kallista Zormelo and Michael Kamel. Localization is one of the most significant movements shaping our industry today. Major donors are beginning to focus their philanthropy on those who are closest to the knowledge, action and impact. The shift towards localization is reshaping the role of…
Igniting Children’s Potential, One Bite at a Time: Reflections from the International Food Aid Showcase
By Paula Rudnicka, Sr. Manager for Public Affairs Last month, Global Communities participated in the 2024 International Food Aid Showcase at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The showcase brought together diverse stakeholders representing all segments of the U.S. food assistance value chain—from farmers to implementing partners and government agencies. At the beginning of…