TwiNit 3.0

Context

Since 2020, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) collaborates with Namibia’s Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) to establish the Namibia Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and to strengthen different Public Health (PH) functions. The NIPH was approved by the Namibian Cabinet in March 2024. National Public Health Institutes play a critical role in PH leadership and response coordination during PH emergencies (PHEs). The third phase of the Namibia-RKI Twinning Project (TwiNit 3.0) focuses on the consolidation and operationalisation of essential PH functions of the newly established NIPH with a special focus on emergency preparedness and response capacities. Key activities include strengthening leadership through mentoring and training; training and simulation exercises for staff of the PH Emergency Operation Centre and Rapid Response Teams; developing a strategy for community-based surveillance (CBS), training materials and a monitoring framework; and conducting a pilot test to establish CBS in Namibia. TwiNit 3.0 will build on RKI’s proven collaborations with the WHO Collaborating Centre for GOARN, the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) and the WHO Community Protection and Resilience Unit to strengthen both the NIPH and health security in Southern Africa.

Objective

Improved emergency preparedness and response in Namibia through targeted support of the newly established Namibia Institute of Public Health (NIPH)

In Cooperation with

• Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Windhoek, Namibia
• WHO Collaborating Centre for the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (WHO CC GOARN)