Kaspar Wyss

Professional Activities

  • Kaspar Wyss, PhD, is a Public Health Specialist, Associate Professor (PD) and Head of the Health Systems Support Unit at the Swiss Centre for International Health. Kaspar Wyss has strong management and leadership experience and is in charge of a team of 15 staff focusing on health systems development primarily in low- and middle income countries. Activities relate to both research and health system monitoring and performance assessment, with a specific interest in the role and importance of human resources for health. He directs a number of research and implementation projects in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia and has extensive consultancy experiences for a broad range of clients. For the University of Basel (MSc and medical students) and for other courses including the Swiss Inter-University Master of Public Health Program he teaches on health systems. Kaspar Wyss acts also as supervisor for several PhD and MSc students.

Higher Education & Qualifications

  • Associate professor, PD, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • PhD in epidemiology, PhD, University of Basel, Switzerland.
  • Master in Public Health, MPH, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
  • MSc in medical parasitology, MSc, University of Basel, Switzerland. 

Work Experience

  • 2011 - present: Head of Health System’s Support Unit (SYSU) at the Swiss Centre for International Health of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.
    Activities related to health sector development and performance monitoring (including family medicine strengthening), human resource and health sector development and the scaling up of priority interventions (monitoring and evaluation, HIV/AIDS care).
  • 2002 - 2011: Head of Systems Performance and Monitoring Unit (SPMU) at the Swiss Centre for International Health of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. Responsible for a team of 30 permanent collaborators (and an additional 40 staff contracted locally at country level) focusing on the performance of health sector programs in low- and middle income countries. Overseeing the Local Fund Agent mandates for the Global Fund in 19 countries in South East Asia, the Middle East, West and Central Africa as well as Latin America.
  • 2001 – 2002: Urban Health Advisor in China for Liverpool School for Tropical Medicine and Health and Life Science Partners in the context of a project funded by the Department for International Development (UK). Planning and implementation for improved access of the urban poor in four cities (Chendgu, Shenyang, Xining and Yinchuan) through strengthening urban primary health care delivery.
  • 1997-2000: Project Manager at the Swiss Centre for International Health of the Swiss Tropical Institute in charge of several projects in Chad, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Dealing with the planning and management of urban health care delivery, the financing of health services and the health of disadvantaged groups such as the urban poor and nomadic people.
  • 1995-1996: Scientific Collaborator at the Swiss Tropical Institute in charge of several research and development projects in Africa and Switzerland. In charge of the assessment of the decentralisation of the Swiss health care delivery system, of direct and indirect costs of tuberculosis, of quality of care and of experiences of urban health care delivery in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
  • 1994-1995: Public Health Specialist and Epidemiologist for the Dar es Salaam Urban Health Project in Tanzania funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. In charge of the establishment of cities health information system, of the implementation of a cost-recovery system for first contact facilities, and of the promotion of planning and management tools.
  • 1990-1994: Epidemiologist and PhD Student in N’Djaména, Chad, for two health sector development programmes of the Ministry of Health both headed by the Swiss Tropical Institute. In charge of conception and promotion of a cost recovery scheme for the city of N’Djaména, and the elaboration of the city’s coverage plan.