Laboratory quality, training and standards
Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Federation/Kirill Sirotyuk
To strengthen laboratory capacities for influenza surveillance, preparedness and response, WHO/Europe organizes regular training in influenza virology, laboratory quality, biorisk management and safe shipping of infectious substances, in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom (WHO CC) and the National Influenza Centre (NIC) at the Research Institute of Virology, St Petersburg, Russian Federation.
WHO also provides external quality assurance programmes (EQA), which help define training needs. Regional EQA programmes are supported by the European Reference Laboratory Network for Human Influenza (ERLI-Net).
