HST Structure and Governance

Health Systems Trust (HST) is a dynamic not-for-profit organisation (NPO) established in 1992 to support the transformation of the health system in a new democratic South Africa. Subscribing to a primary health care approach, HST actively supports current and future development of a comprehensive health system, through strategies designed to promote equity and efficiency in health and health care delivery in southern Africa.

HST’s Structure

HST employs about 50 staff members in two directorates, Programmes and Corporate Services, that collaborate in achieving the organisation’s goals. HST relies on the services of independent consultants when project demands exceed the capacity of the core staff.

The Programmes directorate comprises two units, Health Systems Research and Health Systems Strengthening. Through this structure and using a number of strategies, HST has played a key role in supporting the transformation of the health system in South Africa over the past nineteen years. HST has also demonstrated how a NPO in a developing country context can support both government and other civil society groups to strengthen an inefficient and inequitable public health sector. Through the work of its programmes HST has acquired a wealth of experience in the design and support of relevant health systems research, providing district managers with technical support and taking a lead in information dissemination within the health sector in South Africa and, increasingly, in southern Africa. In the process, HST has established relationships with the South African Department of Health, with all provincial health departments and with various public and private sector service providers nationally and internationally.

Governance

HST has established a solid reputation of good governance and sound financial management and has consistently secured funding over the past 19 years to support the work of the organisation.

An independent Board of Trustees guides and provides oversight of HST. Board members collectively comprise a diverse group of individuals with professional standing and expertise in health systems development in and beyond South Africa.