International development projects
The Public Health Agency of Sweden works internationally to strengthen public health efforts in other countries. Through collaborations with the UN, the EU, Nordic partners, and direct development cooperation with sister agencies in countries including those in Africa and Asia, we support capacity building and the exchange of experiences and expertise.
Our international engagements is a vital part of preventing and responding to cross-border health threats. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Public Health Agency of Sweden have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to further strengthen collaboration in global health and international development cooperation.
Ongoing development projects
Since 2017, the Public Health Agency of Sweden has collaborated with AIIMS in India (All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur), focusing on vaccine programme acceptance and the modelling of risk factors for non-communicable diseases. The project is partly funded through health promotion grants and will conclude on 1 July 2025.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden is participating, together with the Canadian company Shift Health, in a project to support the development of preparedness efforts within the new agency Gulf CDC – the public health authority of the Gulf region.
The work aims to support the development of guiding documents and to take part in preparedness exercises.
Webpage of the project: Gulf Center For Disease Prevention And Control (Gulf CDC) (gulfcdc.org)
The Public Health Agency of Sweden has been a member of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) since the agency’s establishment. IANPHI is a global network and advocacy organisation for public health institutes, with members from over 100 countries. It promotes the exchange of experience among members and supports the development of new public health agencies. The organisation operates working groups in various thematic areas to develop guidance documents and maintains regional sub-organisations across different world regions.
Webpage of the project: The International Association of National Public Health Institutes (ianphi.org)
Capacity Development of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Somalia – peer-to-peer collaboration between NIH and PHAS.
The overarching aim of the project is to support the establishment of a national public health institute in Somalia. The peer-to-peer collaboration between NIH and the Public Health Agency of Sweden, PHAS, focuses on strengthening core public health functions including disease surveillance, use of data for decision-making and public health research. PHAS has amongst others organised training workshops in collaboration with NIH staff and Ministry of Health staff at federal and state levels with an aim to strengthen the capacity in statistical analysis and visualisation of data, as well as in scientific methods and academic writing.
PHAS has also provided support for the first field epidemiology training programme in the state of Somaliland. This training enhances knowledge on the early detection and reporting of various health threats.
The collaboration began in June 2019 and continues until May 2025. The cooperation with Somalia is funded by Sida. The agreement between Sida and the Public Health Agency of Sweden is valid until 30 November 2025.
Sphirha (Strengthening Public Health Institutes’ Activities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights), funded by Sida, strengthens SRHR in Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Sphirha (Strengthening Public Health Institutes’ Activities in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) is a development cooperation project funded by Sida. Starting in November 2024 and running through 2028, the project aims to improve public health outcomes by strengthening institutional capacities to address sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) challenges in Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Sphirha is currently a partnership between three African public health institutes – the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), the Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS) in Mozambique, and the Botswana Public Health Institute (BPHI) – as well as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Public Health Agency of Sweden (PHAS).
The project focuses on strengthening governance, data management, communication, and public health actions at the participating institutes. It also promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing among public health institutions in the region, contributing to long-term improvements in SRHR policy and practice.
A key objective is to enhance leadership and governance in SRHR programmes within the public health institutes. Sphirha supports the development of standardised systems for data collection, analysis, and reporting on SRHR issues. Reliable data is essential for informed decision-making, and the project works to strengthen the institutes’ capacity to use data for policy development, progress monitoring, and intervention adjustments. Public health communication also plays a crucial role in achieving the project’s goals.
In addition to strengthening governance and technical capacities, Sphirha integrates SRHR into broader public health efforts, including the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The project places a strong emphasis on reaching vulnerable populations – such as women, adolescents, and marginalised groups – ensuring that SRHR is embedded within comprehensive public health strategies.
TEI-PHI: Regional Programme under the Team Europe Initiative to Strengthen African Public Health Institutes.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden has been asked to develop a plan to lead the implementation of the regional component of the Team Europe Initiative – Public Health Institutes (TEI-PHI), a project funded by the EU Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA).
The overarching aim of the project is to strengthen the competence, capacity, and ability of African National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) to ensure basic health and well-being, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3). This will be achieved through regional cooperation and knowledge exchange, in collaboration with Africa CDC and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI).
The project is expected to be financed through an EU delegation to Sida, which will then channel the funding to the Public Health Agency of Sweden. The initiative is currently in the design and application phase.