Shedding light on the “black box” of delivery: Evaluating the impact of a health system strengthening intervention in Sofala province, Mozambique

Abstract

Limited high-quality information exists on optimal approaches to improve health system performance in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In the present study, we evaluate the effects of a 5-year health system strengthening program focused in improving the routine data quality and its use; enhancing management and planning capacity and funding district plans; and building capacity for operations research to guide system-strengthening efforts, to ultimately reduce under-5 mortality in Sofala province, Mozambique. Also, we document resilience of the Mozambique health system to the COVID-19 crisis.