Context Lassa fever (LF) remains a major public health burden in Nigeria and other West African countries. The virus is primarily transmitted from rodents to humans at the human-animal-environment (HAE) interface, underscoring the need for One Health (OH) approaches. Traditional risk management strategies have often been short-lived and ineffective, as…
Context New and re-emerging infectious diseases pose an ongoing risk to public health. Political instability, climate change, and environmental degradation increase the risk of outbreaks, such as viral haemorrhagic fever. Many countries south of the Sahara, where dangerous pathogens are endemic, have limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient capacity to…
Context The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) have been collaborating closely on global health protection for over ten years, with a particular focus on addressing infectious diseases. The GHPP project NiCaDe II (2023-2025) focused on expanding national capacities…
Context In 2019, WHO designated the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) as the first WHO Collaborating Centre for the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). Over the past five years, the centre has played a key role in shaping GOARN’s strategy, strengthening capacity building, and supporting international…
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…
Context There is an urgent need to strengthen diagnostic capacities for Yersinia pestis and Vibrio cholerae in Madagascar. Yersinia pestis is endemic in the country and therefore represents a major public health concern. Vibrio cholerae is gaining increasing importance both locally and globally in the context of climate change and…
Context National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) support political decision-makers in developing effective immunisation strategies. Experiences gained in previous projects have shown that NITAGs in middle-income countries (MICs) in the WHO European Region operate at varying levels. Together with the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO EURO), STEP seeks to…
Context The SPHERE project builds on cooperation with Western Balkan (WB) countries that has been in place since 2016 and follows the success of the WASP (Western Balkan Strategic Partnership for Health Protection) project. SPHERE continues to support public health institutes in Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia in enhancing…
Context Rapid Response Mobile Laboratories (RRMLs) provide crucial support during infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises by enabling on-site testing and diagnostics. During these emergencies, countries can experience gaps in human and infrastructural resources, underscoring the need for flexible and portable laboratory solutions. SMILE strengthens emergency response capacities…