WHO Collaborating Centre

The Swiss Centre for International Health (SCIH) of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) has a longstanding alliance and partnership with various departments and sections of the WHO. In numerous conferences, workshops and individual work arrangements SCIH has been contributing to the development of policies, strategies, training materials and publications. Further, the WHO was drawing on the multidisciplinary expertise of SCIH staff members when planning project interventions and in validating WHO assessment and planning tools. The collaboration between SCIH and WHO had finally been formalised in a concrete memorandum, which led to the official designation of SCIH as WHO Collaborating Centre’ in the field of Health System Development.  

 

 

SCIH - WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Systems Development: Terms of Reference  

 

  1. To regularly share information, experiences and lessons learned in the area of health system development and strengthening to provide effective, equitable and sustainable health care to populations, and achieve Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed on health targets.
  2. To perform research, develop policy guidance and provide technical support for developing sustainable health systems in countries with a strong focus on poverty reduction and equity promotion, including solutions in health financing, aid modalities and evaluation of cost-effectiveness of health interventions.
  3. To create awareness and build up capacities regarding improved resource planning and management in health systems, including the implementation and evaluation in a number of countries of the WHO resource planning tool “Integrated Healthcare Technology Package (iHTP)”.
  4. To carry out research, capacity building and technical support to countries in health care infrastructure and technology management, ICT and telemedicine, and health technology assessment as a means to strengthen health systems.
  5. To jointly review lessons learned in the area of promoting Human Resource for Health policies and practices for strengthening of health systems, carry further methodological approaches for assessing the HRH availability and requirements, and for establishing effective HRH policies.
  6. To support the development of affordable and sustainable models for primary health care which provide increased access for poor and vulnerable groups, and better up-take of priority health interventions by the population, including effective and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems and services management in low income countries.
  7. To support the development and promotion of comprehensive quality improvement frameworks, including quality standards and guidelines, tools for quality assurance and quality monitoring mechanisms based on international models for quality management in the health sector.
  8. To provide expertise and collaboration in the drug and vaccine development, with a focus on tropical diseases, including clinical trials, postmarket studies, pharmacoeconomics as well as essential drugs.
  9. To act as a Centre of Excellence and provide collaboration in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, gender and social development.
  10. To provide programme and project advice, appraisal and monitoring to EEA financial mechanisms, GAVI, GDF of the Stop TB Secretariat, Global Fund, other global health initiatives, as well as jointly promote with WHO, a systemic approach to global health initiatives.