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March 2007
 Background to the Health Systems Knowledge Network

The Health Systems Knowledge Network was appointed by the WHO Commission on the
Social Determinants of Health from September 2005 to March 2007. It was made up of
14 policy-makers, academics and members of civil society from all around the world, each
with his or her own area of expertise. The network engaged with other components of
the Commission (see http://www.who.int/social_determinants/map/en) and also
commissioned a number of systematic reviews and case studies (see
www.wits.ac.za/chp/).

The Centre for Health Policy led the consortium appointed as the organisational hub of
the network. The other consortium partners were EQUINET, a Southern and Eastern
African network devoted to promoting health equity (www.equinetafrica.org), and the
Health Policy Unit of the London School of Hygiene in the United Kingdom
(www.lshtm.ac.uk/hpu). The Commission itself is a global strategic mechanism to
improve equity in health and health care through action on the social of determinants of
health at global, regional and country level.
 Acknowledgments
This paper was reviewed by at least one reviewer from within the Health Systems Knowledge
Network and one external reviewer. Thanks are due to these reviewers for their advice on
additional sources of information, different analytical perspectives and assistance in clarifying
key messages.

This paper was written as part of the work of the Health Systems Knowledge Network
established as part of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. The work of
the network was funded by a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa,
Canada. The views presented in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily
represent the decisions, policy or views of IRDC, WHO, Commissioners, the Health Systems
Knowledge Network or the reviewers.
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