title: The role of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in response to seasonal, avian, and pandemic influenza.
abstract: Between 2005 and 2011, the WHO Regional Office for Europe assisted the member states of the WHO European Region to prepare and respond to outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1, the 2009 pandemic, and to enhance their capacities for the prevention and control of seasonal influenza. It did this through conducting a combination of regional and subregional meetings and trainings, establishing a regional network for influenza surveillance, providing operational guidance for implementing influenza surveillance and strengthening the capacities of National Influenza Centers, and through assistance at the country-level where needed. In all, close to 60 country-missions or country-level activities were conducted. These activities were conducted in close coordination with WHO headquarters, WHO European Region Country Offices, the European Commission, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and with other partner organizations, and were in line with the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005). The results of activities as well as guidance documents were disseminated to a wide audience through publication on the WHO Regional Office for Europe Influenza website, on the EuroFlu website, and through peer-reviewed publications.
authors.affiliation: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Scherfigsvej 8, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. cbr@euro.who.int
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D018563:Disease Notification / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D058873:Pandemics; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012621:Seasons; D014944:World Health Organization / Q000458:organization & administration*