Tool Kit for National Public Health Institutes
IANPHI provides technical assistance to countries that are setting up or enhancing their National Public Health Institutes (NPHI). To assist member countries and partners in these efforts, we are developing a toolkit for NPHI development based on our growing body of experience.
The IANPHI Framework for the Creation and Development of National Public Health Institutes (NPHI) is a guide to the formation and growth of the world's NPHIs.
The Framework provides a common conceptual basis and language for discussing NPHIs, presents models of how they
A national public health institute (NPHI) is a government agency, or closely networked group of agencies, that provides science-based leadership, expertise, and coordination for a country’s public health activities. Core NPHI functions help countries organize and conduct their public health services. They are based on the essential public health functions framework, which has been in use for more than a decade. Core NPHI attributes are qualities and characteristics, which define an NPHI’s infrastructure and operations.
The two-page summary at the link below provides an overview of the NPHI core functions and core attributes, as defined in the IANPHI Framework for National Public Health Institute Development.
Africa CDC: Framework for the Development of National Public Health Institutes in Africa
Building upon the experience of IANPHI and adapted from IANPHI Framework for National Public Health Institute (NPHI) Development, the Framework for Development of NPHIs is tailored to African context and describes NPHIs, including core aspects of their operations and public health functions.
It includes topics for NPHIs to consider as they develop, such as mandates, guiding principles and activities that are vital to create, strengthen and sustain NPHIs. The appendices can serve as guidance documents for African countries that want to create more robust and effective national public health capacities.
The creation of this document was a collaborative effort between:
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
- Human Development and Public Health Initiative, Nigeria
- International Association of National Public Health Institutes
- Mozambique Instituto Nacional de Sáude
- Public Health England
- South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Zambia National Public Health Institute
Available in four languages:
English (PDF) French (PDF) Portuguese (PDF) Arabic (PDF)
Africa CDC: Providing a Legal Framework for a National Public Health Institute
Creating a national public health institute (NPHI) usually involves bringing together functions that previously existed in separate organizational units, sometimes with the addition of functions or units that did not previously exist in the national government. Many NPHIs are largely developed from units within Ministries of Health and may not have specific legal language that specifies their functions and authorities. Others have their origin in research institutes, some of which are authorized by laws.
Regardless of the organizations or parts of organizations that comprise the new NPHI, a legal framework that clearly defines what the NPHI will do and how it will operate is an important step to providing the clarity of mission, governance, leadership, and finance that contribute to success.
The purpose of this document – Providing a Legal Framework for an NPHI – is to describe the types of legal mechanisms countries are using to establish NPHIs or enhance the stature of existing NPHIs and the issues typically addressed. It also describes processes countries have used to place NPHIs on
The creation of this document was a collaborative effort between:
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
- Emory University School of Law
- Guinea Bissau National Institute of Public Health
- International Association of National Public Health Institutes
- Mozambique Instituto Nacional de Sáude
- National Public Health Institute of Liberia
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
- Public Health England
- South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Available in four languages:
Multiple organizations related to public health have often been created in countries according to local needs, to implement different essential public health functions and operations and host specific disciplines. As a result of health system reforms, for efficiency reasons (increase critical mass, better use of budgets or economies) or due to better understanding of the population needs, public health authorities have often considered major reforms or mergers of existing public health organizations, with the purpose of strengthening core activities to provide better focus within health systems and to create more comprehensive NPHIs. Within Europe, several institutes have already gone through this process over the past decade.
This guide developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and IANPHI aims to take advantage of the good practices, success factors and strategies of these institutes. The purpose is practical; it is intended to offer an initial source of information for merger initiatives and to raise awareness among decision-makers and key individuals of how complex this is. It also offers a step-by-step action plan for decision-makers and workshop facilitators to successfully prepare and implement the reorganization or merger of their NPHI.
This guide focuses its action points at the level of political decision-makers, health ministries and other key institutes and on their mission and vision: strategic and operational goals; professional development and leadership; project portfolios; validation processes; communication; and legal aspects. Table 1 in the Annex summarizes these actions.
The framework summarizes the evidence base for and practical importance of fostering linkages among public health functions in an NPHI, defines and describes common linkage types, and documents real-world examples of linkages and their enablers. It was developed by U.S. CDC and ATA Health with contributions from International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), Colombia Instituto Nacional de Salúd, Georgia National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Institut National de Santé Publique – Burkina Faso, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet), and Resolve to Save Lives.
National public health institutes (NPHIs) sometimes struggle to define the most critical next steps that will improve capacity for core public health functions and effective and efficient internal operations. To fill this gap, U.S. CDC and IANPHI, in consultation with a group of NPHI leaders from around the world, developed the Staged Development Tool (SDT). The tool helps NPHIs assess their current capacity and develop a roadmap for achieving a higher level of functioning.
WHAT IS THE Staged Development Tool?
The SDT uses a maturity model to help NPHIs assess their capacities in priority areas and identify areas for improvement. Thirty Discussion Guides provide detailed descriptions for what might be found at NPHIs at different stages of maturity or development.
The Discussion Guides include both external-facing topics (such as surveillance and research) and internal-facing topics (such as leadership and management). They facilitate conversations that help participants clarify their NPHI’s current state, desired state, and major gaps that need to be addressed to move to their ideal state.
WHO CAN USE THE Staged Development Tool?
The SDT can be used by established NPHIs or during the development of an NPHI if it is clear what groups and which people will comprise the NPHI. The SDT process is designed to be facilitated. We recommend using an external facilitator trained on how to use the tool, especially if the NPHI is using the SDT for the first time.
Tapping its unparalleled global expertise, IANPHI developed a unique Peer-to-Peer Evaluation Tool, which is now available to its member institutes interested in an external evaluation. The scope, focus, and terms of the evaluation were developed at the behest of the directors of national public health institutes (NPHIs).
After the 2012 annual meeting in Mexico, IANPHI launched the development of the evaluation tool, based on its experience with the China CDC comprehensive evaluation in August 2010; more targeted evaluations of some essential public health functions or program areas such as non-communicable diseases, tobacco control, and injury that are carried out as part of some IANPHI development projects; and on the experience of the NPHIs with several types of external evaluations.
How to Start an Evaluation
Upon request, IANPHI has the capacity to assemble a team of NPHI directors or senior experts to carry out the external evaluation using different tools developed from the IANPHI Framework for NPHI Development, which set common grounds for definition of the EPHFs and core attributes of NPHIs. The IANPHI evaluation team provides a formal evaluation report with recommendations to the NPHI director.
The Evaluation Tool takes into account the diversity of NPHIs. By pooling and sharing experience, IANPHI has developed principles for the evaluation of an NPHI. The aim is to deliver a tool useful for the NPHI director to demonstrate the contribution of the NPHI in its national specific context, and to draw main recommendations that could provide orientations to improve the quality of their services and impact on public health.
For more information, or to participate in an evaluation exercise, contact us at info@ianphi.org. Funds to cover the costs of such evaluation should be provided by the NPHIs.
Access the Evaluation Tool (PDF)
Examples of Peer-to-Peer Evaluation Reports
Here is a selection of peer review reports that were made publicly available.
Report from the peer review of RIVM, the Netherlands' NPHI
Report dated April 10-13, 2016
Report from the peer review of Public Health England
Report dated June 26-29, 2017
Report from the peer review of Public Health Wales
Report dated October 9-13, 2017
Report from the peer review of Santé publique France
Report dated January 28-31, 2019
See also our news report: A team from IANPHI and its member NPHIs conducted a peer-to-peer evaluation in Brussels, Belgium, published in April 2015.
Stakeholder engagement is essential for the success of national public health institutes (NPHIs). Because NPHIs have limited time and resources to dedicate to managing stakeholder relationships, it is important for them to focus their investments on those efforts that are likely to be most beneficial.
This guide is an overview of some approaches and tools for internal use by an NPHI or a group that is leading the development of an NPHI from within government. It is not meant to be a comprehensive how-to, but rather to provide ideas about structuring discussions about stakeholders.
This guide includes:
- An approach for categorizing stakeholders according to their interest and potential impact on the NPHI
- Ideas about ways to engage stakeholders that fall into different interest/potential impact categories
Available in four languages:
ENGLISH (PDF) FRENCH (PDF) PORTUGUESE (PDF) SPANISH (PDF)
See also:
Stakeholder Mapping Grid Template (DOCX)
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND THE CREATION OF BURKINA FASO'S INSTITUT NATIONAL DE SANTE PUBLIQUE
In 2018, the President of Burkina Faso signed a decree providing a legal basis for the creation of the Institut National De Sante Publique (INSP), with the goal of improving the coordination and performance of public health functions, such as surveillance, laboratory services, and dissemination and use of public health research. This case study examines the critical role of stakeholder engagement and processes used to attain this public health achievement.
The Best Practice series provides suggestions for national public health institutes (NPHIs) on a range of topics related to internal-facing issues, such as those related to leadership and management.
For each topic, Best Practices includes a guidance document. Some Best Practices may also include one or more case studies describing the experiences of NPHIs from around the world.
Best Practice: Legal Mandates and Governance for NPHIs
Many countries have established NPHIs to coordinate and lead their public health functions, using different legal and administrative actions and different approaches to governance. Regardless of how an NPHI is constituted, its mandate and its relationship to and degree of autonomy within the Ministry of Health should be explicit.
Legal Mandates and Governance Case Study: Creating the National Public Health Institute of Liberia
In December 2016, Liberia’s legislature passed a bill to establish the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), which President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf signed into law in January 2017.
Best Practice: Establishing an NPHI Foundation
Many NPHI directors are recognizing the benefits of establishing independent, nonprofit organizations to pursue partnerships and raise funds from the private sector to support the institute’s mission in ways that might otherwise not be possible or easily achievable.
Establishing an NPHI Foundation Case Study: U.S. Center for Disease Control Foundation
As a government agency, CDC could not take full advantage of potential partnerships with and resources from the private sector that could support its mission. That changed in 1992 when the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of a 501(c)(3) – an independent nonprofit foundation to support CDC. The foundation was incorporated in 1994.
Best Practice: Mentorship
Mentorship is a two-way exchange in which an experienced advisor (mentor) helps a less experienced colleague (mentee) develop professionally, and often personally. Mentorship is increasingly recognized as important to public health capacity building and NPHI workforce development. By creating a culture of mentorship and institutionalizing mentorship programs, NPHIs can provide staff with tools and support to develop their full potential and contribute maximally to the institute ’s development and success.
Mentorship Case Study: IANPHI/Heymann Mentorship Program
The IANPHI Mentorship Program (IMP) was launched in 2009 thanks to a generous donation by Dr. David Heymann. Its goal was to provide current and future NPHI leaders with the tools, training, and support needed to develop their full potential. IMP facilitated mentoring partnerships between established public health experts and colleagues from low- resource NPHIs who showed substantial promise as public health leaders.
Mentorship Case Study: Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
In 2003, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) instituted a mentorship and training program aimed at helping early career staff develop and improve their research. It enlisted senior-level scientists in the professional development of their junior counterparts, with a goal of sustainable development of NIMR’s human and research capacity.
Best Practice: Building a Business Case for NPHI Creation
A business case that provides the rationale for NPHI creation can be a useful resource and advocacy tool. In some cases, development of a business case is required as part of the process of NPHI creation. Using a structured format to lay out the business case helps decision-makers understand the value of creating an NPHI and how the NPHI will result in implementation and coordination of core public health functions.
Best Practice: NPHI Staff Retention
The ability of NPHIs to conduct public health functions efficiently and effectively depends on having a highly motivated, well-trained, and stable workforce. High staff turnover not only affects the performance of an organization but also is costly.
Best Practice: Recruiting an NPHI Director
Ideally, the director of the NPHI will be a person with the vision, ability, and experience to gain the support of the highest levels of government and mobilize the NPHI’s staff to achieve improved public health in the country. This requires the director to have scientific and public health knowledge and the skills and ability to provide strategic leadership and create trust among government, the public, and NPHI stakeholders.
Best Practice: Peer-to-Peer Visits
Fostering connections among NPHIs is a core tenet of IANPHI’s mission. IANPHI supports these linkages in a number of ways. One strategy is peer-to-peer visits, in which leaders and staff from one NPHI visit each other to share experiences, lessons learned, and wisdom about building or strengthening NPHIs.
Peer-to-Peer Visit Case Study: Pakistan National Institute of Health
In 2017, the Pakistan National Institute of Health (NIH) visited the Netherlands’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) as an early step in planning for a stronger NIH. RIVM was extremely supportive, both because of its interest in expanding its global health efforts and its desire to support IANPHI and its members.
Each national public health institute (NPHI) is different and develops in a unique way. To understand the factors that supported the successful creation and growth of our member NPHIs, IANPHI talked to the leaders of several institutes to understand how their NPHIs had been created – why are NPHIs formed, key ingredients to their successes, and barriers to greater impact.
This series of case studies reveal the stories of the NPHIs and provide insights into the process of NPHI development that we hope will be useful to others.
Staged Development Tool (SDT) Case Study
COLOMBIA INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SALUD: IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES
In 2017, Dr. Martha Lucia Ospina, then Director of Colombia’s Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS),
committed the INS to operational improvement and development of a new strategic plan, to improve
the public health system and response to public health threats. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI)
had just developed a new tool -- the Staged Development Tool (SDT) – to help national public health
institutes (NPHIs) identify priorities and create plans to achieve higher levels of functioning. Dr.
Ospina and her team were eager for the INS to pioneer the use of the SDT.
NPHI Creation Stories
NPHI CREATION AND GROWTH IN MALAWI
In the early 21st century, public health challenges in Malawi and engagement with the international community led to the recognition that establishing a dedicated national public health institute was necessary. Engagement with the global public health community, such as IANPHI, helped Ministry of Health (MOH) leaders understand the benefits of having an NPHI and provided opportunities for partnerships and resources.
Burkina Faso Institut National De Sante Publique: Stakeholder Engagement During NPHI Creation
In 2018, the President of Burkina Faso signed a decree providing a legal basis for the creation of the Institut National De Sante Publique (INSP), with the goal of improving the coordination and performance of public health functions, such as surveillance, laboratory services, and dissemination and use of public health research.
Integration of Tiered Networks within Public Health Institutes: The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) Experience
In the last decade, Ethiopia has achieved numerous public health successes, among them early attainment of health-related Millennium Development Goals, strong tuberculosis (TB) management program, and progress toward eradication of Guinea worm disease.
Ethiopia Public Health Institute (EPHI)
In 2013, EPHI was created from one primary precursor organization, the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI), but is the final result of nearly 90 years of evolving public health institute arrangements in Ethiopia.
Institut Pasteur du Maroc
In Morocco, NPHI functions are dispersed among three agencies. Professor Mohammed Hassar describes his vision for consolidating into a single institute and the potential benefits and challenges associated with such a consolidation.
National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa
In 2002, a government restructuring provided an opportunity to create an NPHI in South Africa. Professor Barry describes the critical factors in ensuring the success of a new agency.
Public Health Agency of Canada
In 2003, outbreaks of acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) resulted in a public health crisis in Canada and led to the creation of a new NPHI. Dr. David Butler-Jones provides his perspectives on issues and lessons learned in developing an NPHI.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
From its roots as an agency fighting malaria, U.S. CDC has become one of the largest and most influential public health institutions in the world. Dr. David Sencer describes the growth of U.S. CDC and some of its challenges.
Best Practice Case Studies
LEGAL MANDATES AND GOVERNANCE CASE STUDY: CREATING THE NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE OF LIBERIA
In December 2016, Liberia’s legislature passed a bill to establish the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), which President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf signed into law in January 2017.
Establishing an NPHI Foundation Case Study: U.S. Center for Disease Control Foundation
As a government agency, CDC could not take full advantage of potential partnerships with and resources from the private sector that could support its mission. That changed in 1992 when the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of a 501(c)(3) – an independent nonprofit foundation to support CDC. The foundation was incorporated in 1994.
MENTORSHIP CASE STUDY: IANPHI/HEYMANN MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
The IANPHI Mentorship Program (IMP) was launched in 2009 thanks to a generous donation by Dr. David Heymann. Its goal was to provide current and future NPHI leaders with the tools, training, and support needed to develop their full potential. IMP facilitated mentoring partnerships between established public health experts and colleagues from low- resource NPHIs who showed substantial promise as public health leaders.
MENTORSHIP CASE STUDY: NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
In 2003, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) instituted a mentorship and training program aimed at helping early career staff develop and improve their research. It enlisted senior-level scientists in the professional development of their junior counterparts, with a goal of sustainable development of NIMR’s human and research capacity.
Peer-to-Peer Visit Case Study: Pakistan National Institute of Health
In 2017, the Pakistan National Institute of Health (NIH) visited the Netherlands’ National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) as an early step in planning for a stronger NIH. RIVM was extremely supportive, both because of its interest in expanding its global health efforts and its desire to support IANPHI and its members.
Case studies from the Africa CDC guidance on Providing a Legal Framework to an NPHI
Nigeria CDC
The NCDC was established in 2011 to improve Nigeria’s preparedness to handle public health challenges and to optimize the use of public health resources. The value of having an NPHI was demonstrated during the 2014 response to the Ebola outbreaks. In 2017, a legal framework for NCDC was passed by the national legislature. It was signed by President Buhari in 2018. Because Nigeria is so large and populous, a decision was made to create a parastatal organization, which would be more nimble than a line agency within the Ministry of Health.
National Institute of Health of Mozambique
The National Institute of Health of Mozambique (INS) was established in 1976 as a division within the Preventive Medicine Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MoH). In 1983, the INS became a distinct institution within the MoH, with limited autonomy. This changed in 2017, with the passage of Decree 57/2017.
National Public Health Institute of Liberia
The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) was officially established by the NPHI Act of 2016, which was signed into law by the President in January 2017. This law was passed quickly, to address the weaknesses in public health observed during Liberia’s response to the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak. The process used to develop the law and its content and garner support is described in the IANPHI “Case Study: Creating the National Public Health Institute of Liberia”.
Guinea Bissau's National Public Health Institue
Guinea Bissau’s National Public Health Institute (INASA) was formally established on August 26, 2010. The creation of INASA was the culmination of over a decade of effort that had been interrupted by war and political shifts.
You can read the full Africa CDC guidance on Providing a Legal Framework to an NPHI.
How to Structure Key Messages for a Given Public Health Topic
These guidelines were developed for a media relations training workshop held in 2019 in Abuja for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. They are applicable for all national public health institutes on any public health issue.
- Communications objective: What are we trying to achieve with the information in this document?
- Authorized spokespersons: Names, titles, email, contact information of everyone who is assigned to communicate with the media or public about an issue.
- Background: Explain the issue (ex. a summary of the outbreak, its geographic scope, how many people are impacted) in a paragraph or two.
- Communications risks: What are the risks of communicating on this topic with the media? Also, what are the risks of NOT communicating on this topic?
- Posture: Decide if your objective is best-served by communicating proactively, or by waiting to react to a media inquiry?
- Reminder of Standard Operating Procedure for this particular issue: Write out the decision making process for creating, approving and updating these talking points, including names and contact for relevant leadership and technical experts.
- Talking Points: What are the key messages we want to convey, in order of importance? Radio and television news stories are typically very short, so it's essential that you deliver your most important messages first, clearly and often.
- Questions and Answers: The same information as above, but presented in Q&A format.
- Message House: The message house is a graphical format for organizing and memorizing key messages. It's a very helpful tool for paring down a large amount of information into priority items. Forcing yourself to organize messages into the message house format will help you choose and deliver the most important messages to deliver during time-constrained interviews.
- What questions do we fear being asked? Imagine the most difficult interview situation - the questions you dread being asked - and try to prepare for them.
- Responsibility: Who is responsible for keeping the technical information in this document up-to-date?
Quick Guide to Driving COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance
Based on the discussions of the IANPHI Communications Discussion Group meeting of June 9, 2021- Trust is a prerequisite: establish the public’s trust in your institute before building vaccine confidence.
- Target your communications efforts towards subsets of the population that can realistically be convinced to receive the vaccine.
- Take the time to understand why people are hesitant to get vaccinated and address their specific concerns in your messaging and do not assume preconceived notions about reasons for vaccine hesitancy are correct.
- Be critical about which hesitant viewpoints you choose to address with the public. Ensure a viewpoints’ reach is widespread and addressing it will not bring undue attention.
- Favor honest and open conversations with the public.
- Create consistent, insight-driven messaging using multiple platforms to reach your audiences (website, TV, radio, social media, health hotlines, Q&As, scientific briefings, etc.)
- Establish a constant and open channel with local news organizations to feed them your messaging.
- Leverage community stakeholders to understand the social perception of messaging and to act as influencers to champion vaccination in their communities.
- For younger age groups, emphasize how the vaccine will change community restrictions and how some consequences of COVID-19 are just as likely to affect young persons as older persons (such as “long COVID”).
- Assess the impact of your strategies: monitor surveillance data, vaccination data, and corresponding changes in behavior; look for gaps; practice social listening; conduct surveys and KAP studies; keep re-assessing regularly.
Roadmaps, Reports and Statements
Extreme Weather Events (EWEs) are among the most concerning climate-related risks. National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) have a vital role to play in responding to the human health impacts of EWEs through their work in monitoring, alerting, and supporting crisis preparedness and response.
This document illustrates how NPHIs are already active in anticipating, assessing, and preventing the health impacts of EWEs. It calls for a strengthening of those activities through knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary research, capacity building and strategic partnerships.
The IANPHI Roadmap for Action on Health and Climate Change highlights and advocates for the existing and potential key role of national public health institutes (NPHIs) in climate adaptation and mitigation, and how they contribute to climate policies, research and action.
Motivated by the urgent need to act for the benefit of public health with regards to the degradation of natural systems, IANPHI supports the development of NPHIs’ capacity globally to be key advocates and actors of climate mitigation and adaptation.
The IANPHI Roadmap is available for download below in English, Arabic, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
ENGLISH (PDF) ARABIC (PDF) FRENCH (PDF) PORTUGUESE (PDF) SPANISH (PDF)
SURVEY RESULTS: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTES IN CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION
IANPHI also conducted an online survey between April and June 2021 to better understand the current involvement of NPHIs in climate change. The survey was answered by 43 NPHIs out of 112 that were contacted, including 110 current members of IANPHI and two future members. The survey results fed the IANPHI Roadmap for Action on Health and Climate Change.
The survey results are available for download below.
SOCIAL MEDIA KIT
IANPHI created a social media kit to encourage members and partners to promote the IANPHI Roadmap for Action on Health and Climate Change. The kit includes suggested messages and associated social media cards to raise awareness of the role of NPHIs responding to climate change, and on the importance of including public health in climate change policies.
The social media kit is available for download below in English, Arabic, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
ENGLISH (PDF) ARABIC (PDF) FRENCH (PDF) PORTUGUESE (PDF) SPANISH (PDF)
The Roadmap was developed by the World Health Organization in collaboration with leading public health and emergency response organizations and associations such as IANPHI, the College of Public Health Medicine of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa; Faculty of Public Health, UK; Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH); Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET), and United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The roadmap aims to develop a collective vision and shared understanding on the definition, classification and scope of work of the workforce performing the essential public health functions, as well as collaborative activities to build national workforce capacity through competency-based education. It lays out an ambitious agenda which requires sustained implementation to ensure that all countries across the world are able to identify their health system needs, develop competency-based education curricula for pre-service and in-service education of their public health workforce, and measure the quantity and quality of this workforce using a standardized measurement approach.
The report on Lessons Learned from National Public Health Institutes’ Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak offers a synthesis of the lessons learned exercise IANPHI conducted with our members about their role in the COVID-19 response in the first year of the pandemic.
Our analysis demonstrates how NPHIs adapted their scope and mission, addressed challenges and delivered essential public health functions, while being on the frontline of the pandemic response.
The report also highlights the good practices and many successes that were identified and includes case studies from five member institutes.
Available in four languages:
IANPHI was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to examine the status of national surveillance systems, if and how integrated disease surveillance (IDS) systems have been developed and operationalized, and the evidence base for the effectiveness of IDS.
IDS has been advocated as an approach to enable countries to improve their disease surveillance and response capabilities so that they can detect and respond to communicable disease threats in a timely way. Global surveillance systems were not well-prepared to identify and manage the emerging threat COVID-19 posed to health and well-being.
The aims of this study were to document the current state of knowledge, understanding and implementation of IDS worldwide. The assessment also aimed to identify key barriers, enablers, and opportunities revealed by responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve these objectives IANPHI conducted a scoping review of published evidence, a multi-country survey of our members, and qualitative “deep dive” case studies of seven countries.
Read the full reports of each workstream:
The Rio de Janeiro Statement on the Role of National Public Health Institutes in Facing Health Inequities was introduced during the 2021 IANPHI Annual Meeting by the meeting host, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil's public health agency. It was shared with IANPHI members for their comments and reviewed by the IANPHI Executive Board.
The statement urges IANPHI's member organizations to place the promotion of health equity at the core of their work. It encourages them to document existing inequities through dedicated surveillance or observatories, measure progress and bring evidence on public health interventions to reduce the widening gap of health inequities to decision-makers, and support their implementation.
Between November 30 and December 2, 2022, National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) from around the world met in Stockholm, Sweden at the IANPHI Annual Meeting to address and find solutions to the biggest challenges to the public health security of the world’s population.
The meeting concluded that there is an urgent need to apply the lessons learned from COVID-19 to address other health threats, such as the impact of climate change. Now is the time for NPHIs to step up their role in the handling of crises that affect the health of our populations with prioritization of health equity.
Between September 9-11, 2024, an official G20 National Public Health Institute side meeting was held in Rio De Janeiro, under the G20 presidency of Brazil. The meeting was co-hosted by IANPHI, Fiocruz, and Africa CDC.
A declaration was developed and agreed which has a call for action with five priorities for National Public Health Institutes.
Additional IANPHI Resources
Between September 9-11, 2024, an official G20 National Public Health Institute side meeting was held in Rio De Janeiro, under the G20 presidency of Brazil. The meeting was co-hosted by IANPHI, Fiocruz, and Africa CDC.
In March 2020, IANPHI started hosting a series of webinars – the IANPHI COVID-19 Webinar Series – to discuss how our member NPHIs were responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series since evolved to encompass topics beyond COVID-19 which are relevant to our members and to the global health community.
The IANPHI Annual Meetings provide opportunities for NPHI directors to share experiences and expertise, discuss common issues, and plan for future collaborations. In addition to robust scientific benchmarking and technical sessions, these meetings are a rich setting for developing professional and institutional linkages.
2025 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The IANPHI Annual Meeting will be held on April 9 - 10, 2025 in Maputo, Mozambique and hosted by the National Institute of Health of Mozambique. Side meetings will be held by invitation on April 11.
Learn more about the 2025 Meeting
2024 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2024 IANPHI Annual Meeting will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, hosted by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre.
Learn more about the 2024 Meeting
2022 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2022 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held on November 30-December 2, 2022 in Stockholm, Sweden, hosted by the Public Health Agency of Sweden. The meeting's overarching theme was Pandemics, Conflicts, Climate Change: New Roles and Challenges for National Public Health Institutes.
Learn more about the 2022 Meeting
2021 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2021 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held virtually on December 1-3, 2021, hosted by the Brazilian national public health institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz). This meeting's overarching theme was health equity.
Learn more about the 2021 Meeting
2020 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2020 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held virtually on December 1-2, 2020, hosted by the Brazilian national public health institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz).
Learn more about the 2020 Meeting
2019 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2019 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Read the 2019 Meeting Presentations
Read the Executive Board's Conclusions
2018 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2018 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by Public Health England in London, United Kingdom.
2017 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2017 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome, Italy.
2016 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2016 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Shanghai, China.
2015 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2015 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Institute for Public Health and Surveillance (InVS) in Paris, France.
2014 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2014 IANPHI Annual Meeting was co-hosted by Morocco's National Institute of Hygiene and Pasteur Institute of Morocco.
2013 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2013 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Tanzania's National Institute for Medical Research.
2012 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2012 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública.
2011 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2011 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held in Helsinki, Finland.
2010 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2010 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held in Atlanta, USA.
2009 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2009 IANPHI Annual Meeting was held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
2008 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2008 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in Bilthoven, Netherland.
2007 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The 2007 IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, China.
2006 IANPHI Annual Meeting
The first IANPHI Annual Meeting was hosted by the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), the Brazilian national public health institute, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
IANPHI Europe Regional Network
2024 Europe Regional Network Meeting
Learn more about the meeting and read sessions summaries
IANPHI Latin America Regional Network
2023 Latin American Meeting Report
The National Health Institute (INS) of El Salvador successfully hosted the second on-site Annual Meeting of the IANPHI Latin American Regional Network from October 16-18, 2023. This pivotal gathering focused on the critical roles National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) play in addressing mental health, hunger, and malnutrition. High-level representatives from NPHIs across Latin America, along with esteemed organizations such as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) participated in the discussions.
The meeting emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration to effectively combat hunger and malnutrition in Central America. Participants advocated for evidence-based interventions, regional cooperation, and the development of territorialized food guides. Discussions also highlighted the value of learning from global experiences to improve regional strategies. Dr. Xochitl Sandoval, director of the INS of El Salvador, presented the country’s first National Mental Health Survey, marking a significant step toward establishing a baseline for mental health indicators. The survey’s findings stressed the need for early childhood education and the integration of psychologists into NPHIs. However, challenges like conducting community-based studies and securing political support were also acknowledged. The meeting further underscored the vital role of epidemiology programs in strengthening health systems post-pandemic. Argentina’s efforts to integrate mental health into primary care and combat food insecurity were presented as key examples. Looking ahead, the network plans to address critical issues such as hunger, climate change, and health disparities through the establishment of a regional metagenomics network, a health inequities observatory, and targeted training programs.
A detailed report of the 2023 IANPHI Latin American Network Annual Meeting is available below in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
IANPHI Progress Report 2023
In 2021, IANPHI updated its strategic vision for the next five years following the commitment made by the executive board during the 2019 Annual Meeting held in Ethiopia. This 2021-2025 Strategic Vision has been informed by previous IANPHI strategic plans and objectives. For nearly 20 years, IANPHI has ensured continuity and consistency across its unique global network to develop and strengthen NPHIs through exchange of experiences and peer-to-peer support.
The action plan for 2022-2023 gave a roadmap to implement the strategy focusing on key initiatives and fundamental platforms and enablers. Key initiatives include national public health institute development and strengthening, thematic committees, regional networks and external partnership programs whilst fundamental platforms and enablers mention sponsorship and fundraising, communications, knowledge portal, fully functional IANPHI Secretariat, focal points group and the annual meeting. Activities in subsequent years will be based on the progress and successes of these two years.
This report intends to inform the IANPHI Membership and partners on the main activities carried out in 2023. It does not reflect fully the support provided by members in developing and strengthening NPHIs and in supporting the implementation of the strategy 2021-2025, even though their expertise remains essential for the implementation of IANPHI-related activities.
IANPHI Progress Report 2022
IANPHI's 2022 Progress Report emphasizes the continued growth of our network of National Public Health Institutes, as IANPHI celebrated 15th anniversary and reached major milestones, including an agreement with the World Health Organization and groundbreaking work on Integrated Disease Surveillance.
Previous Progress Reports
2021
2020
2019
2016 - 10-year report
2014 - 2015
2010-2012
2008-2010
2007
The IANPHI Strategy 2021-2025 was developed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the need for global collaboration and collective action had never been more apparent. The strategy signals the next phase of IANPHI’s strategic development. All countries have been challenged by the pandemic. National public health institutes (NPHIs) are and will continue to be a major part of the solution to building future health security and fairer societies and strengthening public health action.
Our priority is to champion the development of NPHIs where they are most needed, supporting the creation of institutes where they do not yet exist, and targeting support at low-income countries and in low-resourced settings where the need to maximize the impact of limited health resources is paramount and where effective public health action will maximize health gain and reduce inequalities. This goal will be achieved through the further strengthening of the robust network of institute directors and an active program of public health capacity development.
Download the IANPHI Strategy 2021-2025
The IANPHI Action Plan 2022-2023 was developed to allows us to realize the strategic vision 2021-2025, achieve its strategic priorities, ensure resources are matched to priorities, and develop the platforms and infrastructure necessary for successful implementation.
Core to IANPHI’s mission is supporting NPHIs to develop and strengthen their institutes using tools including a maturity model that reflects the WHO framework for Essential Public Health Functions. The focus of the action plan is to expand activities associated with developing and strengthening NPHIs. Our approach is focused on generating and disseminating evidence and knowledge, building the collective intelligence of members and external partners, whilst growing outcome-based activity through strengthened partnerships.
IANPHI Statutes
As per its statutes, IANPHI is constituted and incorporated as an international non-profit association, in accordance with the Belgian law of 27 June 1921 (Title III). Its registered office is in Belgium.
Read the Certified Statutes (French)
IANPHI Internal Rules
IANPHI Internal Rules cover IANPHI's members, governing bodies, secretariat, foundation and partners.
IANPHI Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct
IANPHI is an advocate for global collaboration in promoting health in all policies, respecting human and environmental rights, social equity, universal access to health services and ethics in knowledge production. The organization recognizes that a strong ethical principles statement and code of conduct demonstrates the commitment of the organization and its members to the mission of IANPHI.
IANPHI Introductory Brochure (2023)
This two-pager introduces IANPHI, our member national public health institutes (NPHIs), the way we operate and our regional approach and partnerships.
Saving Lives Through National Public Health Institutes (2018)
Created to support IANPHI's efforts to encourage the development of NPHIs, this fact sheet answers these questions:
- What are NPHIs and why are they important?
- Who are the leaders of IANPHI? How is IANPHI helping countries create or strengthen NPHIs?
- How can you create an NPHI in your country?
Tools and Resources for IANPHI Members (2018)
IANPHI has developed tools and resources to help members strengthen the effectiveness of their efforts. Some of the major tools and resources are listed in this fact sheet. IANPHI also assists NPHIs through technical assistance, training, and providing access to a collegial and interconnected community of NPHIs.
IANPHI Insider
IANPHI Insider serves our members by sharing information that provides knowledge, expertise and insights to help public health professionals learn from their peers. IANPHI Insider connects member organizations to IANPHI's work, and touts our successes, plans and challenges, as we strive to improve global health.
2024
IANPHI Insider #44: G20 NPHI Meeting highlights, Analyzing Resistance to Last Line Antibiotics in Post- COVID-19 Era in Argentina, Transformative Systems Approaches to Promote Population Health, Mastering The Art of Public Speaking
IANPHI Insider #43: Zambia border health, Colombia's SDT case study, Europe Regional Network survey, Latin America Regional Network report
IANPHI Insider #42: Linkages Framework, case studies, annual meeting information
IANPHI Insider #41: WHO-IANPHI partnership update, webinars, and peer-to-peer exchange on border health
IANPHI Insider #40: A statement from the IANPHI Annual Meeting ('Kigali Statement')
2023
IANPHI Insider #39: Letter from the President, Highlights from the General Assembly and Nigeria CDC's communications training
IANPHI Insider #38: IANPHI Africa webinar and Frontiers of Public Health
IANPHI Insider #37: Integrated Disease Surveillance (IDS) reports and webinar
IANPHI Insider #36: Vaccinating Guinea's Most Vulnerable, plus IANPHI's Progress Report 2022
IANPHI Insider #35:Lifting Health Prevention: Strategies and Challenges
IANPHI Insider #34: Letter from the President |Our Priorities for 2023
2022
IANPHI Insider #33: IANPHI Annual Meeting Shows the Importance of NPHIs in Emergencies
IANPHI Insider #32: South Africa Fills a Knowledge Gap on Long COVID in LMIC
IANPHI Insider #31: Letter from the President | A Historic Agreement with WHO
IANPHI Insider #30: How to Advocate to Policymakers
IANPHI Insider #29: The Future of Integrated Disease Surveillance
IANPHI Insider #28: What National Public Health Institutes Have Learned from Responding to COVID-19
IANPHI Insider #27: Georgia's Marathon to Improve Cancer Outcomes
IANPHI Insider #26: Letter from the President | Rio Statement on Health Equity and Priorities for 2022
2021
IANPHI Insider #25: 2021 IANPHI Annual Meeting
IANPHI Insider #24: The Climate Issue
IANPHI Insider #23: Inside Colombia's Internationally Acclaimed Research Program on Zika
IANPHI Insider #22: Letter from the President for September 2021
IANPHI Insider #21: A Peer-to-peer Partnership Between China and Sierra Leone
IANPHI Insider #20: Celebrating 10 Years of IANPHI - U.S. CDC Partnership
IANPHI Insider #19: A New Strategy to Champion NPHI Development
IANPHI Insider #18: Letter from the President for April 2021
IANPHI Insider #17: 2020 IANPHI Progress Report
IANPHI Insider #16: Letter from the President for March 2021 | One Year of COVID-19
IANPHI Insider #15: Letter from the President for February 2021 | Strenghtening the Relationship Between WHO and IANPHI
IANPHI Insider #14: Argentina Expands Access to Public Health Research with Knowledge Management System
IANPHI Insider #13: Rio de Janeiro Statement on Health Equity
IANPHI Insider #12: Letter from the President for January 2021
2020
IANPHI Insider #11: 2020 IANPHI Annual Meeting and Election of President Duncan Selbie
IANPHI Insider #10: Balancing Investment for Wellbeing and Health Equity in the Context of COVID-19
IANPHI Insider #9: The Role of NPHIs in Risk Assessment and Disaster Risk Reduction
IANPHI Insider #8: How Colombia Protects its Citizens from Snakebites
IANPHI Insider #7: How the IANPHI Network is Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
IANPHI Insider #6: COVID-19 Resources for National Publique Health Institutes
IANPHI Insider #5: IANPHI in the New Decade
2019
IANPHI Insider #4: Taking Public Health to the Public
IANPHI Insider #3: Taxing Sugar
IANPHI Insider #2: Advocating the Value of Public Health
IANPHI Insider #1: IANPHI's Next Steps in 2019
2018
IANPHI World #44: 2018 IANPHI Annual Meeting
IANPHI World #43: CHAMPS Cause of Death Data Release
IANPHI World #42: PHEM Workshop
IANPHI World #41: Making Connections with NPHIs and Schools of Public Health
IANPHI World #40: See how Africa CDC's Ebola Outbreak response is saving lives in DRC
IANPHI World #39: Global Goals
IANPHI World #38: World Malaria Day
IANPHI World #37: U.S. Senator Isakson Speak to the Importance of Global Health
IANPHI World #36: Africa CDC Lists its Top Priorities for 2018
IANPHI World #35: Saying Farewell to Courtenay Dusenbury
2017
IANPHI World #34: 2017 IANPHI Annual Meeting
IANPHI World #33: IANPHI World Gears Up for the 2017 Annual Meeting
IANPHI World #31: Healthier Guinea-Bissau, Netherlands Peer-to-Peer NPHI Evaluation; China and Mongolia study tour
2016
IANPHI World #30: Annual Meeting Recap, ZIKA!, NPHIs and Zika, Pioneering Cell-phone Based Surveillance in Bangladesh, Peer-to-Peer Networking in Mozambique, Malawi & Zambia, Member News, and more »
IANPHI World #29: Sierra Leone Establishes NPHI
2015
IANPHI World #28: Peer-to-Peer Partnerships, NPHI Evaluation in Belgium
IANPHI World #27: Guatemala NPHI Launched, Q&A with Slovenia Director Ivan Erzen, Leadership Academy
2014
IANPHI World #26: Ebola Outbreak Response, Q&A with Tanzania Director Mwele Malecela
IANPHI World #25: Q&A with Public Health England Director Duncan Selbie, Ebola Outbreak
IANPHI World #24: Peer-to-Peer Partnerships, Ebola Update, NPHI Evaluation in Belgium
IANPHI World #23: Norway, Malawi and Palenstine Partnering, Q&A with David Butler-Jones, Founding Director of Public Health Agency of Canada
IANPHI World #22: The World Bank and Investing in NPHIs, Q&A with Mauricio Hernandez Avila, Director of Mexico's National Institute of Public Health
2013
IANPHI World #21: NPHI-to-NPHI Partnerships, Q&A with Sarah Wamala, RINS-UNASUR NPHI Meeting; Meeting of European NPHI Directors
IANPHI World #20: Making NCDs a Priority; Building Capacity to Address Health Challenges
2012
IANPHI World #19: RFP to Host Secretariat, Libya and Wales Join IANPHI, 2012 Progress Report Online, Annual Meeting Presentations, Photos
IANPHI World - #18: Transitions; Networking to Address Global Health Challenges: INVS, IANPHI Collaborate on New Evaluation Tool
IANPHI World #17: Malawi Moves Closer to National Health System. Togo, Morocco, and France Partner to Improve Labs, South American Union Endorses Stronger Labs and Regional Cooperation
IANPHI World #16: NPHIs Tackle Important Health Issues, China Assessment:A Decade of Progress, Afghanistan Study Calls CCHF A Regional Public Health Threat
2011
IANPHI World #15: Partner to Strengthen Global Public Health Network with $6 Million Grant, Tanzania: Tackling the Emergence of NCDS
IANPHI World #14: President's Message: Charting the Future of IANPHI, World's Public Health Leaders to Meet in Helsinki, Member Institutes Step Up to Support IANPHI's Future
IANPHI World #13: Comprehensive NPHI Moves Forward in Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire INSP Destroyed, but Determined to Rebuild, IANPHI to Help China CDC Plan for the Future
IANPHI World #12: Official INASA Opening Promises Healthier Future in Guinea-Bissau, Triple-Threat Public Health Crisis in Japan, Bangladesh Long-term Surveillance Project Funded
IANPHI World #11: NIMR Responds to Deadly, Cholera Epidemic in Nigeria, IANPHI Welcomes 11 New Members | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
2010
IANPHI World #10: Special Grants Edition
IANPHI World #9: IEDCR Investigates Anthrax Outbreak in Bangladesh, Global Problem of Chronic Diseases Needs United Approach | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #8: Malawi Taking Steps to Create NPHI, Preparing for Disaster Timely Topic at Annual Meeting | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #7: Planning for a 21st Century Workforce, Confidence Builder for Health Care Restructuring | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #6: Link Science and Action at 2010 Annual Meeting | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #5: WHO Director Advocating for NPHI Creation, IANPHI Awards Seven New Grants, Lima Conference Creates New South American Network | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #4: Nigeria Building Ability to Identify and Treat MDR-TB, El Salvador Considering Creation of NPHI | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #3: Bangladesh Envisions Modern Disease Surveillance, Apply to IANPHI Summer School | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World #2: Peer-to-peer Technical Assistance is Helping Mozambique and Ghana Transform their National Public Health Systems | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
2009
IANPHI World 2009 Edition - Part 2: IANPHI Grant Program Open for Proposals, H1N1 Outbreak Demonstrates Need for Strong NPHIs | French version | Portuguese version | Spanish version
IANPHI World 2009 Edition - Part 1: Planning Underway for New Projects in Ethiopia and Tanzania, IANPHI members Help Discover and Contain Viruses in Africa
2008
IANPHI World Newsletter Winter 2008 Edition: IANPHI Marks the First Year of Program Operations and the Successful Launch of its Initial Projects and Membership Activities
IANPHI World Spring 2008 Edition: IANPHI Awards a Second Round of Grants for Strengthening NPHI Capacity and Infrastructure in Low-Resource Countries
IANPHI World Summer 2008 Edition: From South America to South Africa, Member Institutes Are Putting IANPHI’s Peer-Assistance Model into Action to Transform NPHI Capacity
IANPHI World Fall 2008 Edition: Guinea Bissau is the First of IANPHI’s Planned Multi-Year Engagements
2007
IANPHI World Fall 2007 Edition: IANPHI Project in Colombia Focusing on a New Health Problem for Latin America — Chronic Diseases
Global Health Resources
The International Health Regulations, or IHR (2005), represent an agreement between 196 countries including all Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) to work together for global health security.
Through IHR, countries have agreed to build their capacities to detect, assess and report public health events. WHO plays the coordinating role in IHR and, together with its partners, helps countries to build capacities.
IHR also includes specific measures at ports, airports and ground crossings to limit the spread of health risks to neighboring countries, and to prevent unwarranted travel and trade restrictions so that traffic and trade disruption is kept to a minimum.
English (PDF) Arabic (PDF) Chinese (PDF)
The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important to achieve them all by 2030.
Goal 3 addresses good health and well-being. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being at all ages is essential to sustainable development.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, major progress was made in improving the health of millions of people. Significant strides were made in increasing life expectancy and reducing some of the common killers associated with child and maternal mortality. But more efforts are needed to fully eradicate a wide range of diseases and address many different persistent and emerging health issues. By focusing on providing more efficient funding of health systems, improved sanitation and hygiene, and increased access to physicians, significant progress can be made in helping to save the lives of millions.
Health emergencies such as COVID-19 pose a global risk and have shown the critical need for preparedness. The pandemic provides a watershed moment for health emergency preparedness and for investment in critical 21st century public services.
Cities and urban settings are crucial to preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from health emergencies, and therefore enhancing the focus on urban settings is necessary for countries pursuing improved overall health security.
The purpose of the WHO Framework for Strengthening Health Emergency Preparedness in Cities and Urban Settings is to support policy-makers and decision-makers in the public health sector, as well as other relevant actors and stakeholders across sectors that are engaged in health emergency preparedness in cities and urban settings. In particular, it aims to: a) provide an overview of, and insight into, the key areas that national and subnational authorities may consider focusing on in strengthening health emergency preparedness at the urban level, and b) guide and support the development of policies and capacity building activities at both the national and sub-national level to strengthen health emergency preparedness in cities and urban settings, based on priority risks and existing gaps.
It has been developed as an outcome of the Technical Working Group on Advancing Health Emergency Preparedness in Cities and Urban Settings during COVID-19 and Beyond, co-hosted by WHO and the Government of Singapore in early 2021. It supports the implementation of WHA Resolution 73.8 on Strengthening preparedness for health emergencies: implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) and builds on both the guidance Strengthening Preparedness for COVID-19 in Cities and Urban Settings: Interim Guidance for Local Authorities, and the associated tool Practical actions in cities to strengthen preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: An interim checklist for local authorities.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Sendai Framework) was the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda and provides United Nations Member States with concrete actions to protect development gains from the risk of disaster.
The Sendai Framework works hand in hand with the other 2030 Agenda agreements, including the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, the New Urban Agenda, and ultimately the Sustainable Development Goals.
It was endorsed by the UN General Assembly following the 2015 Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), and advocates for:
The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.
It recognizes that the State has the primary role to reduce disaster risk but that responsibility should be shared with other stakeholders including local government, the private sector and other stakeholders.
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