Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) 2024-2029 Strategic Priorities
The Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) is a vibrant country-led network dedicated to accelerating universal health coverage through social innovation research, community engagement, and social justice in low- and middle-income countries.
Building upon 50 years of experience in community engagement research
Gaps continue to exist in health systems and access to health care in low- and middle-income countries. SIHI was established in 2014 in collaboration with WHO/TDR, the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Its work builds upon 50 years of multidisciplinary research on community engagement in public health interventions from TDR. SIHI aims to improve health by advancing community-engaged social innovation through equitable and collaborative research, capacity strengthening, and advocacy.
During the past 10 years, SIHI has cultivated a committed network of hubs that are based in research institutions and have substantially increased social innovation research and capacity in low- and middle-income countries. The SIHI hubs work in collaboration with SIHI partners at local, national and global levels.
VISION
Inclusive and equitable health, empowered by social innovations that unite communities, health systems actors, and other stakeholders, ensuring that no one is left behind.
MISSION
CORE VALUES
Equity for all: fairness and justice across intersectional differences, regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, and economic status
Inclusive diversity: no one should be left behind
Shared leadership: working and learning together with all stakeholders across various disciplines and sectors towards our common goal of inclusive and equitable health for all
Co-creation: collaborative innovation through engaging diverse actors and fostering partnerships to address complex health challenges
Making an impact:
SIHI approaches and unique value
Supporting bottom-up solutions to global and national health security challenges
SIHI case studies have shown how community-engaged innovations can effectively contribute to strengthening health systems, addressing public health security challenges, and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
Amplifying the impact of social innovations through research
SIHI hubs support innovations through rigorous identification/selection, visibility promotion, inclusive and multidisciplinary research, intersectional gender research and capacity strengthening in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders. Research ensures that an innovation is effective, relevant, and grounded in evidence, while capacity strengthening empowers communities to adopt and sustain the innovation for lasting impact.
Nurturing innovation ecosystems
Leveraging their convening power and effective innovation research grant management, the SIHI hubs offer collaborative platforms that bring together innovators, communities, governments, researchers, and other stakeholders to work together. These platforms facilitate the sharing of knowledge, support, and resources necessary for nurturing innovation.
Creating synergy across the global network of partners
Thirteen SIHI hubs are strategically located within leading academic and research institutions worldwide. These hubs are catalysts for our growing network of global, national, and local multi-sectoral partners coordinated by the SIHI Secretariat to create synergy, learning and knowledge management.
10-year achievements:
Amplifying impact of innovations:
Nurturing innovation ecosystems:
Strategic priorities 2024-2029:
SIHI will enhance community engagement and resilience and promote social justice.
Building upon the last ten-year achievements, SIHI commits to: