The National Institute of Health is a Public Executing Agency of the Ministry of Health dedicated to the investigation of priority health problems and technological development.

The National Institute of Health has the mandate to propose policies and standards, promote, develop and disseminate scientific-technological research and provide health services in the fields of public health, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, food and nutrition, production of biologicals, food quality control, pharmaceutical and related products, occupational health, environmental protection and intercultural health, to help improve the quality of life of the population.