Since February 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems worldwide. This book explores the factors determining the ability of health systems to cope with and recover from a crisis, and therefore their level of resilience.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected individuals and caused destabilization of households and business activities. In emerging economies, many sectors and companies, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are severely influenced by the reduction or cessation of economic activity. Overcoming the COVID-19 virus and allowing the world to heal will allow the economy to grow more resilient. First, however, we must understand that old managerial practices can no longer generate competitive advantage in the post-pandemic world. Public Health and Economic Resiliency in the Post-COVID-19 Era presents epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifies the impacts it has on human health, and analyzes the impacts on public health and economy. This management tool also discusses the socio-economic human vulnerability related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Covering topics such as risk analysis, quality management systems, and therapeutic systems, this book is a dynamic resource for academic researchers and investigators, university professors, students, epidemiologists, health professionals, economists, managers, sociologists, physicians, policymakers, government officials, and academicians.

In this Handbook, Steve Thomas and Padraic Fleming compile invaluable and original insights on the resilience of health systems in the face of shocks and crises, from economic and climate emergencies, to conflicts and pandemics. They examine how health system resilience has been conceptualised by scholars and applied in specific contexts, assessing different theoretical models for measuring and evaluating resilience, as well as highlighting the growing challenges facing health systems now and in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption worldwide highlighting once again the interdependency of health and socioeconomic development, and the global lack of health systems resilience. Two years into the pandemic, most countries report sustained disruptions across service delivery platforms and health areas with a profound impact on health outcomes. The impact of these disruptions is magnified within marginalized communities and in countries experiencing protracted conflict. There is an urgent need to focus on recovery through investment in the essential public health functions (EPHFs) and the foundations of health systems with a focus on primary health care, and whole-of-government and -society engagement. The aim of this Research Topic is to gather, transfer and promote operationalization of key experiences from COVID-19 to inform global and country level recovery that better promote health; guide policy direction towards building health systems resilience; and thereby ensure economic and social prosperity. Experience with COVID-19 has demonstrated that traditional approaches to health system strengthening have failed to achieve the complementary goals of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and health security with the divide between the most vulnerable and well-off only widening. Much of what had been learned from previous experiences such as Ebola in West Africa has not been widely applied. This has left health and economic systems vulnerable to 21 st century public health challenges, ranging from conflict and natural disasters to aging demographics and rising rates of non-communicable and communicable diseases and antimicrobial resistance. These challenges require intentional focus and investment as well as whole-of-government and -society engagement with health to build health system resilience. Greater action is needed to prevent the devastating effects of war and conflict on the health of the most vulnerable. This Research Topic will convene the knowledge and practices of leaders in public health, health systems, and humanitarian and development sectors. This is to ensure lessons from COVID-19 inform the recovery agenda and promote sustainable health and socioeconomic recovery for all. Lest we forget and find ourselves again unprepared and vulnerable in the face of an even greater threat.

Health system resilience is not an inevitable byproduct of any investment in health but must be intentionally programmed and developed with necessary input, investment and contextualization. This technical product aims to guide national, subnational and global health actors to operationalize the concept of health system resilience for advancement of universal health coverage, health security and ultimately better health for all. It supports the translation of relevant conceptual guidance and high-level recommendations into practical actions. The specific objectives are to: present a concise overview of the concept of health system resilience; provide a roadmap outlining practical and foundational steps for building health system resilience to be adapted to different contexts; share examples of actions and tools, including stakeholder roles, to support country application of the roadmap. The target audience for this work is the various stakeholders involved in strengthening health systems and public health including management of emergencies (from prevention and preparedness to response and recovery) and other public health challenges in countries. This ranges from the donors, policymakers and decision-makers at global, national and subnational levels to the implementing institutions and line managers of health system functions and services across the health system building blocks.