The Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network: A Resource for Improving Public Health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) face many challenges in terms of improving population health and progressing toward sustainable development goals (SDGs). This paper aims to describe the approach taken by the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) to help strengthen health systems in the EMR and enable progress toward sustainable development targets, the tools it used, and its achievements. The EMPHNET is a nonprofit organization that has worked to support EMR countries in strengthening their public health systems since its establishment in 2009. The EMPHNET invests in building workforce capacity in applied epidemiology by supporting field epidemiology training programs in more than 10 countries in the EMR, while ensuring country ownership of these programs. The EMPHNET established the Global Health Development (GHD) to maximize support for positive change and SDG progress. As an implementing arm to the EMPHNET, GHD aligns its strategies with national policies and directions. The GHD/EMPHNET works at the regional, national, and subnational levels and tailors solutions for the local context. Over the past years, the EMPHNET succeeded in partnering with over 13 countries and provided technical assistance to leverage country efforts and maximize resource use. The EMPHNET’s Center of Excellence for Applied Epidemiology focuses on building capacity in population health and applied epidemiology. The EMPHNET supports countries in delivering effective public health programs by building capacity and conducting research to prevent and control emerging and reemerging diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, and noncommunicable diseases. The commitment to the region, together with the increased trust and assertion from the countries, helped GHD/EMPHNET build a strong portfolio, which was made possible by the interconnected effort that continues to nurture and foster better health among people living in the EMR.