Create Togo NPHI
Togo has seen dramatic declines in its economy, living standards, and health outcomes since the early 1990s. Despite many challenges—minimal donor presence, fragile infrastructure, human resource deficits, and underfunded public health sector—the country’s leaders, including the president, believe that a comprehensive national public health institute is needed to meet the nation’s many health challenges.After an initial assessment, IANPHI has recommended some immediate actions to improve and modernize l’Institut National d’Hygiene (INH)—the government’s designated agenda for public health leadership— as a foundation for development into an NPHI. These first steps focus on improving the quality of laboratory services for disease surveillance and outbreak response and integrating laboratory and epidemiologic efforts. In addition to strengthening core public health functions at the national and sub-national levels, the project provides an opportunity to increase Togo’s visibility among international donors and partners and integrate Togo into regional and global public health initiatives.
The Institute Pasteur of Morocco is an active partner, providing technical assistance on site as well as training opportunities in Morocco.Other partners include Germany’s international cooperation agency (GTZ) and France’s Institut de Veille Sanitaire, which may use Togo’s experience as a model project for a new global assistance initiative.
Notes from the Field
After one year of project activity, Togo’s Ministry of Health continues to champion creation of a comprehensive national public health institute. L’Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP) will consolidate and strengthen core public health functions, including disease surveillance, disease prevention and control, outbreak investigations, laboratory science, and applied research, and will be a focal point for the development and use of data to improve health in Togo.Year 1 of the Togo-IANPHI project focused on laying the foundation for INSP creation, which will combine the missions, resources, and staff of l’Institut National d’Hygiene (INH) and the Ministry’s Division of Epidemiology (D-Epi). IANPHI support provided essential equipment and training to position INH as a focal point for development of INSP in close collaboration with D-Epi and potentially other MOH components that perform core public health functions.
A new influenza laboratory and a surveillance system have made it possible for INH to regularly report Togo influenza data to WHO-AFRO. Togo also is working toward accreditation of its food/water laboratory, which has the potential to generate income and create national trade and economic opportunities within the EU. D-Epi has published two issues of its new Epidemiology and Surveillance Bulletin which shares information and recommendations for action with national decision-makers and stakeholders and provides feedback on the local, district and regional levels about infectious disease outbreaks or public health events or concerns in Togo. D-Epi developed health promotion and disease prevention materials about cholera and meningitis which have been distributed in districts.
