A guide to establishing national public health institutes through mergers (2021)

Many national public health institutes were established in the second half of the 20th century. Since they were established, the public health landscape has changed considerably, with new challenges, priorities, structures, technologies, skills, holistic approaches and funding and budget pressures. Multiple organizations related to public health have often been created in countries according to local needs, to implement different essential public health functions and operations and host specific disciplines.

This guide aims to take advantage of the good practices, success factors and strategies of these institutes. The purpose is practical; it is intended to offer an initial source of information for merger initiatives and to raise awareness among decision-makers and key individuals of how complex this is. It also offers a step-by-step action plan for decision-makers and workshop facilitators to successfully prepare and implement the reorganization or merger of their national public health institute.

This guide focuses its action points at the level of political decision-makers, health ministries and other key institutes and on their mission and vision:

• strategic and operational goals;
• professional development and leadership;
• project portfolios;
• validation processes;
• communication; and
• legal aspects.