Collaboration between the National Institute of Health Somalia and the Public Health Agency of Sweden

Abstract

Abstract Public Health Agency Sweden (PHAS) has been funded by Sida to provide support and assist in capacity building of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Somalia for six years (2019-2025). The PHAS work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health Somalia, Member States and partners like WHO Somalia, Africa CDC and academic institutions to establish NIHS as an institution that can be sustained and grow over time, and that can contribute to the public health and health system infrastructure of Somalia. Main areas of collaboration 2019-2023 have been technical support to the joint taskforce on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR); supporting basic level field epidemiology training to front line health care workers; organizing workshops in data analyses, visualisation and reporting together with SPIDER/Stockholm University and Statistics Sweden. Building research capacity has included organizing a digital workshop: Reconstructing public health institutions in Somalia at the16th World Congress on Public Health 2020, Rome, Italy and support to the 1st NIH Research Conference 30 January - 1 February 2022 in Garowe, Puntland: “Laying the Foundation for Health Research in Somalia”. The hybrid conference attracted more than 180 participants from different universities. The tentative plan for the remaining project period include recruiting two Somali-speaking public health experts to develop the human resources and institutional capacities in order for NIH to become a centre of excellence for public health in Somalia. The main focus area for the remaining project period is supporting the development of the disease surveillance system including methods for analysis and reporting data. Research capacity workshops will be organized and supported, as well as a 2nd NIH Research Conference in 2024. Another important task is resource mobilization for long-term sustainability and coordination with other stakeholders. Key messages • Supporting the development of the disease surveillance system including analytical skills and reporting of data is key. • Coordination with other stakeholders and resource mobilization for long-term sustainability is essential.