The global health and care strategy underlines that the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – as auxiliaries to governments – and their International Federation are uniquely important institutions for health at the global, regional, national and community levels. Their strength lies in their numbers, the global reach, experience, energy and dynamism created through voluntary service. They are engaged throughout the world in responding to the most urgent health and disease challenges, health in disasters and public health emergencies.

Based on the mission, vision and the global agenda of the International Federation as well as the statements and responsibilities outlined and adopted in the Health Policy, this global health and care strategy provides six strategic directions to integrate and scale up the health activities at all levels of activity. Together the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and their International Federation will intensify and scale up their contribution to the health and socio-economic development of communities by:

1. Capacity building: strengthen the volunteer base of National Societies to increase their operational capacity, improve quality and performance, and ensure the effective response and preparedness in disaster management as well as in health and care;
2. Social mobilization: increase community involvement in health and care activities and campaigns of the National Societies through the network of volunteers;
3. Partnerships: engage as a key partner in global and country based operational alliances and networks in health and care at the global, regional, national and local levels;
4. Health in emergencies: improve health support in crisis, include health as an integral part of effective disaster management and ensure an interface between public health, water and sanitation, epidemic control and public health emergencies;
5. Advocacy: advocate for health and care of the most vulnerable at all levels – local, national regional and international;
6. Community empowerment: support community empowerment through health promotion, disaster preparedness, water and sanitation and community development work.

These six strategic directions of the global health and care strategy are interdependent and constitute an integral approach to health and care at all levels of action of the International Federation. They must be understood in conjunction with the International Federation’s Health Policy, together with the disaster preparedness and response work of the Federation in which health plays an ever larger role and the policy papers that exist for a range of health initiatives and programmes of the International Federation. This strategy does not replace existing national strategies or policies in specific areas of health and care – rather its key intention is to ensure an integrated approach to all health activities of the International Federation.