To have the greatest impact on health and health equity, the Global Forum focuses on three priority areas:

Priority 1: Linking investments with priorities for research for health

The Global Forum is the only organization that regularly tracks the world's investments in R&D for health to identify research priorities, overlaps, gaps and trends. It works with stakeholders to set research agendas in neglected priority areas and then identifies research gaps and promotes their closure through appropriate funding.

because…

…tracking resource flows to health research is fundamental to identify gaps in funding and redirect resources to priority health research needs.

Priority 2: Increasing the role of research in support of effective and equitable health systems

The Global Forum catalyses health policy and systems research globally to generate evidence for informed policy-making to strengthen national health systems, improve populations’ health and reduce inequities; promotes collaboration and coordination at the national and global levels to build local capacity for health systems research in low- and middle-income countries; and stimulates attention to the linkages between poverty, equity and health systems.

because…

…evidence is essential to ensure that health systems are well-organized, sustainable and provide equitable access to effective health interventions.

Priority 3: Strengthening innovation for health in low- and middle-income countries

The Global Forum strengthens technological and social innovation to build more effective, efficient and equitable health systems. Innovation is essential for all countries, and all countries can innovate.

because…

… innovation is a vital driver of development, as underlined in the Millennium Development Goals and demonstrated by innovative developing countries such as Brazil, China, India and South Africa.