• Health:
• What We Do

What We Do

How we assist Commonwealth citizens

We work to strengthen health systems and implement projects on HIV/AIDS, maternal and infant mortality and human resources in health. We collaborate with governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders to implement projects that recognize that healthy individuals are central to social and economic development.

Two-thirds of the 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS, and nine of the most heavily-infected countries, are in the Commonwealth. Sixty per cent of all maternal deaths also take place in our member states.

The capacity of health systems in developing countries’ to be responsive to the needs of their population is being eroded by the loss of health workers through migration. We address these areas though our core programmes with the overarching aim of bringing health to every Commonwealth citizen.

Key Programme Areas

• Developing strategies for the reduction of maternal and child mortality and scaling up maternal death audits for better planning of maternal health programmes.
• Assisting member states in adopting a multi-sectoral, gender-sensitive and rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS by reviewing and assisting in the formulation of HIV/AIDS policies and programmes. 
• Strengthening the capacity of member countries to improve health systems and mechanisms for managing the migration of health workers.
• Developing partnerships and networks for the development and promotion of health activities.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE DO

• Work with countries to deepen implementation of the Commonwealth Code of Practice and develop strategies and policies to address the global shortage of health workers.
• Work with partners to increase the number of health workers with midwifery skills since skilled health workers at birth are essential to reducing maternal deaths.
• Created an HIV/AIDS strategy which serves as a guide for positioning HIV/AIDS in all Commonwealth development activities.
•  Produced several advocacy films shown on BBC World documenting the challenges of living with HIV/AIDS stigma and the experiences of people facing barriers to maternal healthcare. 
• Improving youth participation in HIV/AIDS prevention though our work with the Youth Ambassadors for Positive Living Programme.
• Partnered with the WHO and United Kingdom Parliamentarians to bring together Commonwealth women parliamentarians to discuss maternal healthcare.
• Brought together leading nutritionists in the Commonwealth to address the causes of malnutrition and identify ways of improving child health.