PPS – Population health, policies and services

Advance equitable health and well-being and support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across diverse populations.

1. Identifying health service and workforce needs, developing strategies to strengthen human resources for health with WHO Collaborating Center on Health Workforce Policy and Planning, and conducting comparative analyses of health systems at various stages of development. These activities will inform evidence-based policy design and health promotion strategies that address inequalities and foster sustainable system improvements.

2. Deepen research into the health needs of vulnerable populations, promote health equity through a health-in-all-policies approach, and explore  the role of trust in public health leadership and governance as a key determinant of effective policymaking.

3.Implement a comprehensive research agenda with key activities combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including cohort studies, health policy analysis, and equity impact assessments. Ongoing cohort studies in Lisbon and Santiago (Cabo Verde) will be maintained, while a new birth cohort study in Mozambique (approximately 1,000 mother–baby pairs) will be launched, focusing on respiratory diseases and early-life determinants of health.

The group will strengthen capacity-building by expanding its role in pre- and postgraduate training programs in Public Health, Field Epidemiology and Statistics and Health Planning, in CPLP countries.

PPS will reinforce the activities of the WHOCC-HWPP, along with the well-established networks of EUPHA, EHMA, IANPHI, and ASPHER, contributing to the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health 2030 through initiatives in strategic planning, health care workers labor market analysis, digital innovation (E-health, digital health and Artificial Intelligence), quality improvement, One Health, and emergency preparedness.
These actions will position PPS as a key contributor to research, training, and policy development in global and equitable health.

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