Highlights of the IANPHI Executive Board Meeting


The IANPHI Executive Board (EB) held a virtual meeting on April 27, 2021. IANPHI President Duncan Selbie welcomed board members, as well as the IANPHI Asian, European and Latin American Regional Networks’ chairs and vice-chairs, representatives of the IANPHI Secretariat and U.S. Office, and IANPHI focal points from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Colombian National Health Institute, Public Health England, the German Robert Koch Institute, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the Saudi Arabian National Centre for Disease Control. The quorum to vote on the decisions was reached with ten members in attendance out of fourteen, additional to three proxies.

1. IANPHI Involvement in Global Health Security

L. H. Wieler presented to the IANPHI Executive Board members the work of the IHR Review Committee and the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance. On the one hand, the IHR Review Committee is mandated to review the functioning of the IHR during COVID-19 response. IANPHI is explicitly mentioned during these discussions. On the other hand, the One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, created by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), aims to advocate for urgent global political actions to address the antimicrobial resistance issues, including climate changes, reduction of biodiversity and environmental contamination with antibiotics considerations.

Moreover, B. Iversen informed the IANPHI Executive Board members about the WHO consultative meeting on Joint External Evaluations (JEE) and State Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) to incorporate the lessons learnt from COVID-19 pandemic, which took place in March. The empowerment of national public health institutes, in which IANPHI contributes, was encouraged during this meeting as a means to improve the JEE and to better synchronize the JEE and the SPAR.

As the Global Fund is revising its strategy, E. Whitney presented the perspectives for collaboration between IANPHI and the organization, including the role of country-level governance for epidemic preparedness and response, the engagement in the upcoming global fund thematic review of health security as well as IANPHI view on the Global Fund architecture within the HIR and JEE contexts.

2. IANPHI Strategic Vision

After its approval by the IANPHI General Assembly in December 2020, the revised IANPHI Strategic Vision was shared with the IANPHI partners. IANPHI received further feedbacks from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER), EuroHealthNet, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). The working group for the revision of the IANPHI Strategic Vision used this feedback in a very positive way, working through every comment received and making sure they are reflected in the strategy. The document is now ready to be published in May.

IANPHI President Duncan Selbie sincerely thanked Cathy Morgan and the IANPHI working group for their great work. The whole IANPHI Executive Board encouraged the implementation of this new strategy through the development of a concrete action plan and an adjusted budget for the coming years.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved the IANPHI Strategy.

3. IANPHI Bylaws

Aligned with the IANPHI Statutes and Internal Rules, the EB Manual document is part of the SoP initiative launched in 2019. It is an operational tool for the IANPHI Secretariat and the IANPHI Executive Board to efficiently organize work and processes, by clarifying the role and responsibilities of each board member, as well as the role of the treasurer and the secretary general.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved the EB manual document.

In order to be able to organize the four Regional Networks chairs and vice-chairs’ elections at the same time, the IANPHI Secretariat presented three different options: shortening the term of the newly elected European chair and vice-chair; extending the term of all regional chairs and vice-chairs; or maintaining the current status quo.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved to extend the term for all regional chairs and vice-chairs, in order to ensure a common voting process in December 2023.

A position of strategic adviser to IANPHI is proposed to be created. Such a title would be honorary and the mission would be performed on a pro bono basis. The strategic adviser would have specific duties for a well-defined period of time. They would report to the EB and would work in collaboration with the IANPHI Secretariat. Dr. Quentin Sandifer is proposed to become a strategic adviser to IANPHI, as this position would enable him to continue to contribute in the development of the IANPHI network after his resignation from Public Health Wales.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved the creation of the position of strategic adviser to IANPHI and the nomination of Dr. Quentin Sandifer.

4. IANPHI Membership

In order to keep developing the IANPHI network and its benefit to the Association’s members, the IANPHI Secretariat identified around thirty public health organizations that may be interested in joining the Association.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved the organizations identified by the IANPHI Secretariat as IANPHI potential members and gave the mandate to the IANPHI Secretariat to connect with them.

The IANPHI Secretariat received the application from Public Health Scotland to become a National Member and the application from the Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Medical Management of Moscow Department of Healthcare to become an Associate Member.

Decision: The IANPHI Executive Board members approved both applications, which will be presented to the IANPHI General Assembly at the end of the year.

After sending the 2021 membership fees invoices to IANPHI members, the IANPHI Secretariat received six requests for discount and waiver of the membership fees.

Decision: Due to the current global health situation and its financial consequences, the IANPHI Executive Board members approved the discount and waiver requests.


This online version of the IANPHI Executive Board meeting report reflects actions taken at the most recent meeting of the IANPHI Executive Board and is provided for the convenience of IANPHI members. This online document is not the official, complete record of the actions of the IANPHI Executive Board, it is merely a summary of actions taken. The IANPHI Executive Board’s official minutes, in their entirety, are on file with the IANPHI Secretariat. Should you have any questions about this online summary of the agenda, actions taken, or the minutes of the meetings of the IANPHI Executive Board, please contact the IANPHI Secretariat at secretariat@ianphi.org. 

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