The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is a research and development institute under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.THL works to promote the well-being and health of the population, prevent diseases and social problems, and develop social and health services. THL is the statutory statistical authority in health and welfare and maintains a strong knowledge base within its own field of operations.

 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS UNIT

THL International Affairs Unit is a non-profit, expert organisation specialising in health and social sector development. It consists of three specialized teams:

1. International collaboration and project development has primary competencies in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development processes and programs in transitional economies and developing countries. Through the use of its expert services, the team has been involved in over 100 projects in 40 nations worldwide.

2. The International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) is dedicated to developing, strengthening, and linking National Public Health Institutes in low-resource countries to improve public health service delivery and decision-making globally. More information about IANPHI .

3. The International Coordination monitors THL's involvement in international cooperation.

 

Key Information

THL International Affairs Unit (former International Development Collaboration at STAKES and HEDEC) was established in 1990.

The unit's operations are based on providing self-financed services subject to a fee.

Operations are funded by the international financing institutions, for example, the European Union, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

 

WHAT WE DO

 

Our Role

• Serving as a centre of expertise and information for international development programmes and projects in social security and health care, thus promoting international co-operation and also the related decision-making within Finland
• Taking an active part in social security and health care development efforts in transition economies, developing countries and Finland's neighbouring areas.
• Planning, implementing and evaluating development projects and related international co-operation, and participating in extensive development programmes
• Monitoring and evaluating international developments in the field
• Supporting system reforms in particular and facilitating and improving training within the field
• Fostering development of relevant expertise in Finland and strengthening expert networks internationally
• Producing, acquiring and communicating international and Finnish information and expertise within the field.

 

Operational Objectives

• Promoting people's health, social wellbeing, security and equity
• Engaging in long-term co-operation with foreign contacts and across borders
• Influencing method and content in international co-operation
• Ensuring quality assurance and quality improvement in respect to expertise and collaboration
• Maintaining operational effectiveness and profitability; though the main focus is not, however, on generating profit but on outcomes and quality.

 

Expertise

• Social and health care policy development, strategies and legislation
• Reforms of social security and health care systems
• Social protection, welfare benefits and welfare services
• Health care services and quality assessment
• Financing of the social security and health care sector
• Information and monitoring systems for social security and health care sectors
• Primary health care, preventive health care
• Project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation