Strengthening National Public Health Institutes for resilient health systems

Evidence to inform policy and decision makers in the Eastern Mediterranean region

Bibliographic Data

ID22084026
AuthorsTareq L Mukattash (0000-0003-0200-9845, Jordan University of Science and Technology), Dalia Zayed, Dalia Kashef Zayed, Ala’a B Al‐Tammemi (0000-0003-0862-0186, corresponding author), Ala'a B Al-Tammemi
Year2026
Volume13
Pages1745722-1745722
Publication date2026-01-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2025.1745722
PMID41602008
OpenAlexW7122394497
LanguageEN
References cited41

National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) are pivotal to health security, yet their performance could be constrained by complex, interlinked barriers. This paper examines these operational challenges, with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), and argues that strengthening NPHIs requires context-specific, cross-domain policy action rather than isolated technical fixes. Drawing on global and EMR-specific experiences, we undertook an evidence-informed narrative synthesis of selectively identified peer-reviewed literature, documented case studies, and regional reports, to map barriers and policy options across six interconnected domains: governance and organizational frameworks; financing and resource allocation; workforce and capacity building; data, surveillance, and infrastructure; and coordination, multisectoral collaboration, and communication. Each domain is further influenced by pervasive political, social, and cultural factors. Our synthesis indicates that in the EMR, where many countries face ongoing conflicts, economic instability, and governance fragmentation, these barriers collectively weaken national preparedness and response capacities. The paper highlights the need for targeted policy action to overcome these constraints, specifically, adopting robust legal frameworks that clarify and reinforce NPHIs' mandates, developing diversified and sustainable financing mechanisms, institutionalizing competency-based workforce frameworks, and embedding risk communication and community engagement into routine operations. Overall, strengthening NPHIs along these dimensions is not a technical luxury but a strategic investment in national security, economic stability, and regional health resilience. Our paper provides EMR governments and partners with a practical roadmap to move from reactive, donor-driven responses toward coherent, country-led public health systems capable of managing both current and future threats within increasingly complex risk and humanitarian landscapes globally

Corporate governance · Preparedness · Public health · Public policy · Workforce · Workforce development · Global Security and Public Health · Medical Coding and Health Information · Public Health Policies and Education · Health Policy