The Norwegian Institute of Public Health signs a memorandum of understanding with Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
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The memorandum is between Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) to strengthen public health institutions and systems.
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Go to the home pageOn Friday, 10 June 2022, a delegation from NIPH met with members of Africa CDC and signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) together. This framework agreement will strengthen public health institutions and systems in member states of the African Union through institutional and technical collaboration under the Building Stronger Public Institutions and Systems (BIS) program.
The BIS Program
The BIS program goal is to contribute to the building of competent and resilient health systems underpinned by strong public health institutions in six countries and through global and regional networks. The long-term vision is to contribute to reducing morbidity, mortality and poverty associated with diseases by working in partnership with public health institutions and in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3. The BIS program further expands upon previous Norad-funded activities under the Global Health Preparedness Program (GHPP) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programs.
Towards a Goal of Long-Term Collaboration
Under the MOU, NIPH will have an employee stationed at Africa CDC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This individual will work at Africa CDC to contribute in delivering on five areas of potential collaboration:
The suggested areas of collaboration to include:
- health economics and evidence-based public health
- health preparedness and infectious disease prevention and control
- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including mental health and health promotion
- strengthening data collection and surveillance and contribute to improving knowledge hubs
- institution strengthening at continental and national levels for health security.
In the meeting between NIPH and Africa CDC, the acting Director of Africa CDC, Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, underpinned the interest in working together for purposes of mutual learning in agreed areas of joint collaboration.
Frode Forland, NIPH Specialist Director, was also present and said:
“We agree that we will contribute to building sustainable public health institutions and systems with a peer-to-peer approach. This MoU with Africa CDC is a starting point for NIPH to engage in long term collaboration and joint learning to improve public health.”
Health economics and evidence-based public health will be one priority are of collaboration. Suggested activities include (1) support to economic modelling applied to public health emergency and surveillance; (2) support on evidence synthesis for public health surveillance; and (3) support to related regional partner activities.
The basis of this agreement provides an opportunity to build on existing collaborations, to share knowledge in all directions, and to strengthen public health institutions and systems with a global mindset - both here in Norway and abroad.
