2011 Joint WHO Regional Office for Europe/ECDC Influenza Surveillance Meeting
WHO
On 7-9 June 2011, the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) and ECDC held a joint annual influenza surveillance meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The meeting was opened by Dr Mojca Gruntar Cinc, Director-General of the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Slovenia. The meeting attracted more than 150 representatives from 50 European Member States, as well as invited speakers from the European Region and from the United States.
The meeting marked the first time that national focal points for influenza had gathered on a regional level since the launch of the WHO/Europe influenza surveillance platform, EuroFlu, and the 2009 pandemic. The three-day programme focused on the 2010-2011 influenza season, which was dominated by the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus and influenza B. Recommendations on a wide range of virological and epidemiological subjects were given, particularly with respect to models for the routine surveillance of severe disease caused by influenza. The meeting emphasized the need for WHO/Europe and ECDC to continue to closely coordinate their work in order to make optimal use of resources during a difficult economic climate and to keep seasonal and pandemic influenza high on the agenda.
In closing the meeting, Dr Caroline Brown, head of WHO/Europe’s Influenza & Other Respiratory Pathogens programme, together with Professor Angus Nicoll, ECDC’s Influenza Programme Head, welcomed proposals to co-organize future joint meetings and working groups to address technical issues.
