The UK is the world’s second largest aid donor for health. This seminar presents the Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) analysis of ten issues that shape the health needs of the poorest in Low and Lower Middle Income Countries (LMICs) from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and explores how they inform DFID’s approach to policy, research and delivery. The seminar will include DFID’s latest thinking on ‘Best Buys’ for health donors and how strengthening health systems supports progress to Universal Health Coverage.

Lizzie Smith is the Head of Profession for Health for DFID where she leads DFID’s group of 70 professional health specialists who provide technical advice to deliver DFID’s £2bn annual budget for health. Advisers work across the UK and in over 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Lizzie’s career has spanned international public health, management and finance. Lizzie joined DFID in 2002 having worked in the private and NGO sectors having specialised in private sector provision of health in developing countries. She has worked overseas for DFID in Pakistan and spent over 4 years in Cambodia where she was also Head of Office. Back in the UK she led horizon scanning for DFID’s management board in DFID’s Strategy Unit. From 2010 to 2014 she led regional health and nutrition policy and programming across Asia.