A North/South collaboration between two national public health institutes - A model for global health protection

Chikwe Ihekweazu*, Fortune Ncube, Barry Schoub, Lucille Blumberg, Ruth Ruggles, Mark Salter, Shabir Madhi, Anthony Kessel

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Rapid international spread of emerging infections has increased interest in strategic collaborations, as they may be the best way to protect populations. Strategic collaborations can build capacity in less-resourced settings. As specialised institutions that provide a stable locus of expertise, continuity of experience, scientific knowledge, and appropriate human, technical, and financial resources, national public health institutes (NPHIs) are well-prepared to tackle public health challenges. We describe how a collaboration between the NPHIs of England and South Africa built a mutually beneficial professional relationship to help implement the WHO International Health Regulations, build capacity for health protection, and promote the exchange of information, advice, and expertise. We illustrate how this can be achieved in a mutually beneficial way.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)181-193
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Public Health Policy
Volume36
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2015

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Many NPHIs in low-and middle-income countries lack resources and expertise to deliver on all such responsibilities4. Collaboration among NPHIs is one way to ensure they fulfil these functions for their populations and contribute to global health security. In 2006, in recognition of this, Jeffrey Koplan (former director of the US CDC) and Pekka Puska (former director general of Finland’s National Institute of Public Health and Welfare – THL), through initial grants from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, formed the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI). Key objectives included enlivening international advocacy, a scientific network for NPHIs, and building capacity of NPHIs in less well-resourced countries5.

Funding Information:
In 2008, the United Kingdom (UK) government published a new strategy document, Health is Global. It made a commitment to ‘increase UK and global health security’ by strengthening surveillance and response capacity to infectious diseases6. It called for establishing long-term links with equivalent institutions in other countries. When updated in 2011, the strategy defined 12 global health outcomes in three broad areas for action: global health security, international development, and trade7. Then governments of the UK, including Northern Ireland, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Republic of South Africa for a reciprocal exchange of healthcare professionals. It was intended to enhance clinical and technical skills in both countries, and explore best practices. The UK chose HPA as one of the institutions to implement the MoU. HPA welcomed the opportunity to establish a partnership with NICD in Johannesburg. As an institute with a similar mandate and relevant expertise, it could enable its neighbouring countries to develop these skills. To cultivate global health work, the Department of Health committed in 2008 a grant of £1.9 million over 5 years to the HPA. From this global health fund the secondment to South Africa was funded. The NICD, through its various training programmes, had a long history of supporting other African countries to build their capacity. In some countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, NICD responded more directly by investigating sources of emerging disease threats8. Initially structured as the HPA/NICD collaboration, it evolved to become the PHE/NICD collaboration.

Funding Information:
The IANPHI was formed in 2006 with a US$20 million, 5-year grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through Emory University, the host and coordinating institution12. It recognised the need for NPHIs

Copyright:
Copyright 2015 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • health
  • international
  • public health institutes
  • regulations

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