**2. Health system strengthening (HSS)**

A "successful strengthening strategy" is defined as changes which are implemented, which improve the quantity or quality of health services, especially for the poor, and which are sustained. This includes financing strategies to help poor people to access health services.

Concepts of "the health system" recognise that the lowest level "system" is not just a set of health services but also includes the patient or citizen, their family and community, which may do more than health services to protect and care for a person's health.
