The Global Health Policy and Health Systems research programme (GHPHS) is a joint initiative of WOTRO Science for Global Development, the Netherlands Platform for Global Health Policy and Health Systems Research and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, Welfare and Sport. GHPHS will fund excellent health policy and health systems research. It will give priority to research that demonstrates how health systems can be improved, and how improved health systems can contribute to reaching the Millennium Development Goals.