Public Health Academy for the Public Health Authority in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

1. 2019-2021

Commissioned by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to develop a new Public Health Academy (PHA). The aim of the PHA is to raise the standards of practice among public health practitioners and the wider public health workforce (below the specialists’ level).

Outputs:

• Produced benchmark report of five countries’ PHAs.
• Provided situational analysis to assess the needs of the public health workforce - including focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders.
• Produced a strategic and operational plan for the creation of a PHA in KSA.
• Set the competencies required for each level of professional practice and the wider public health workforce.
• Produced a portfolio of courses that were required immediately by the PHA to bridge the identified gaps.
• Launched the academy - the Imperial WHOCC team helped to deliver seven initial courses.

This pioneering work in the Region will greatly impact the development and transformation of public health professionals in KSA and the Region.

Read our preprint article here:

The Demand for Public Health Academies: What the Creation of an Academy During a Pandemic Has Taught Us

2. August 2021- March 2022

Imperial WHOCC conducted an in-depth analysis of public health workforce training needs for the PHA in KSA that served as a basis for design and delivery of the following bespoke courses:

• Acute events management
• Emergency preparedness and planning
• Advanced leadership for health
• Disease burden and health planning
• Surveillance for infectious diseases
• Public health practical
• Public health analysis

The training programmes received positive feedback and have become part of Imperial WHOCC’s training portfolio, available to all public health professionals in the KSA and beyond.

These courses are fully accredited by Imperial College London and the Saudi Health Commission.