In a strategic move to enhance global health response systems, the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the Centre for Epidemic Interventions Research at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health as a WHO Collaborating Centre. This new partnership, announced in August 2024, aims to advance research on the effectiveness of public health and social measures (PHSM) during health emergencies, marking a critical step forward in strengthening pandemic preparedness and response worldwide.
The designation is the culmination of a fruitful three-year collaboration, which began in June 2021 with the launch of the WHO Initiative to measure the impact and effectiveness of PHSM. This initiative seeks to build a robust global evidence base to inform decision-making during health crises.
The official inauguration of the WHO Collaborating Centre took place on November 25, 2024, at a seminar in Oslo, Norway. Key speakers at the event included Ushman A. Mushtaq, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, Guri Rørtveit, General Director of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
At the seminar, Atle Fretheim, Director of the newly designated Collaborating Centre, reflected on the significant challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding the research on the effectiveness of measures like face mask usage. He highlighted the difficulties of conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) during a global health crisis, noting that delays in ethical reviews and a lack of standardized study templates hampered timely data collection.
Ramona Ludolph, Technical Officer at the WHO PHSM Secretariat, elaborated on WHO’s ongoing efforts to promote evidence-based research and decision-making. She emphasized that the Centre’s role in advancing the PHSM agenda will be crucial in addressing existing research gaps and improving the quality of data used to inform global public health responses.
The WHO Collaborating Centre will focus on closing critical evidence gaps around PHSM by strengthening research capacity in countries worldwide. Key initiatives for the 2024–2028 period include:
Developing standardized study protocol templates to measure PHSM effectiveness and adherence across diverse settings.
Creating a comprehensive guide for adapting and implementing these protocols in various health emergency contexts.
Conducting evidence reviews on the health and socio-economic consequences of PHSM, with a particular focus on infectious disease outbreaks.
These efforts will help policymakers and health authorities implement more effective public health strategies, improving global responses to future emergencies.
The seminar underscored the importance of international collaboration in shaping health policy and research. A panel discussion featuring experts such as Frode Forland from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Halvor Sommerfelt from the University of Bergen, and Tania Schmidt from the WHO Regional Office for Europe highlighted the need for cooperative efforts in conducting policy-relevant research that can shape better responses to health emergencies.
As Mike Ryan of the WHO emphasized, “This new Collaborating Centre represents a significant milestone in our collective efforts to understand the true impact of public health and social measures. Through robust research, international cooperation, and evidence-based practices, we are better prepared to tackle future health crises.”
The WHO Collaborating Centre in Norway is a critical step toward ensuring that global health responses are rooted in solid evidence, ultimately improving the lives and health of people around the world.
Read more:
- Is The U.S. Winning The Battle Against Obesity? 2023 Sees Bmi Drop After A Decade Of Growth
- America’S Health Care Crisis: A Moral Dilemma That Demands Reform
- Best Fruits To Eat While Pregnant: A Guide For Expecting Mothers
