The Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project in East Africa seeks to increase access to and use of affordable, quality health care in cross-border areas of East Africa. The activity partners closely with regional intergovernmental organizations (RIGOs), national governments of nine countries (Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda), cross-border authorities, the private sector, local organizations, and health service providers. The activity focuses on improving and digitizing cross-border health information systems in cross-border areas, increasing the capacity of regional organizations to standardize regional health policies and regulations that affect cross-border populations, and strengthening regional and national financing, resource mobilization, and accountability for cross-border health.

Banyan Global supports the gender equity and social inclusion integration (GESI) with a focus on ensuring vulnerable groups have access to high-quality health services. Vulnerable groups living in or crossing borders include workers in public businesses like hotels and bars; migrant workers; pastoralists; fisherfolk; female sex workers; men who have sex with men; and women, adolescents, and children.

Banyan Global is a subcontractor to Abt Associates on the $209 million, five-year USAID-funded LHSS project under the Integrated Health Systems award that works globally in up to 52 countries to strengthen their health systems as a means to achieve universal health coverage and improve population health and well-being. With an eye toward empowering countries to transition away from donor support, the project is strengthening the capacity of local organizations to lead implementation. Banyan Global is responsible for providing technical assistance to increase financial protection, population coverage, and service coverage of quality essential services.  Banyan Global also leads work to increase private investment in the health sector and to promote gender integration and social inclusion.