The Institute of Public Health is a central player in public health in Norway, with responsibility for national tasks related to infection control, as well as mental and physical health. The institute works with environmental medicine and epidemiology, and offers advice and hotlines for health-related questions. Through laboratory analyzes and statistics, they help to monitor and understand the state of health in the population.
The institute prepares guides, handbooks and reports which are important resources for healthcare personnel and decision-makers. They also publish status reports on infectious diseases, including covid-19 and influenza, to inform about the situation in the country. In addition, the Institute of Public Health conducts public health surveys in the counties and provides access to health registers and other relevant registers, which strengthens the knowledge base for health work in Norway.