Our role

One of THL's core functions is to research and evaluate welfare and health policies with regards to their economic and social sustainability and produce information as a basis for decision-making. THL follows up the development regarding inequalities, analyses the determinants of well-being and seeks solutions to diminish the inequalities both in Finland and globally.

THL International Affairs (former IDC at STAKES) aims to influence the contents and methods of international co-operation by prioritising the following in its work:

• Equal and universal access to health and social services
• Development of comprehensive health and social welfare systems
• Capacity building, especially for management of the service systems
• Training and continuing education of national workforce
• Quality of service systems
• Health promotion and disease prevention
• Sustainable sectoral policies and national programmes that can be realistically financed

During the last 19 years we have been playing an active part in social welfare and health care development efforts in transition economies, developing countries and Finland's neighbouring areas by participating in development programmes, expert group meetings and networks, and by monitoring and evaluating international development in the field. We are also providing advisory services and expertise to the relevant Finnish ministries and agencies.

Changes in the global context

The context for health and social welfare development has faced considerable changes during recent decades. The global economy, free movement of people and goods, online information and general globalisation have brought the issues of poverty and inequalities in human well-being into everyone's awareness.

Health and social protection systems all over the world are facing similar challenges for example in finding the most suitable way of financing health and social services and in recruiting and keeping qualified professionals in the service of the systems. Most of the developing countries are struggling to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the emerging problems with non-communicable diseases and also ageing of the population, while trying-at the same time-to sustain the achievements made in controlling existing communicable diseases. Health policies in many countries, including the countries in transition, are undergoing changes. Investing in the health of the people has become more important as a prerequisite for sustainable national development.

Future challenges

The international aid architecture in the health sector has also become more complex with increasing aid requirements and structures such as global initiatives, funds and public-private partnerships. Traditional project-based aid instruments have changed into partnership programmes, framework agreements, sectoral programme support, and direct budget support. Decision-making on operational planning and implementation of interventions will increasingly take place in the partner countries. This requires new ways of working and new kinds of expertise from the international donors and other actors.

The European Union has become the largest international donor for developing countries in the health sector. The EU is a very active collaborator with its neighbouring countries as shown in the activities of its Northern Dimension programmes and other cross-border collaborations.