NU51IP000905

Improving Influenza Program and Enhancing Influenza and Other Viral Respiratory Pathogens through Integration of All Existing Surveillance Systems and Using One Health Surveillance Approach

The purpose of this proposal is to support the influenza program and influenza surveillance maintenance through integration of all existing surveillance systems and using a One Health surveillance approach. The project will use a regional approach to build a sustainable model infrastructure of influenza program management and surveillance, as well as country-specific financial sustainability program and surveillance plans.

Different components of the surveillance system, such as ILI and SARI surveillance, and virological or other syndromic surveillance, will be revised based on lessons learned during the current pandemic. These components will be used to integrate the detection of influenza and other respiratory pathogens. The National Influenza Center (NIC) will strengthen laboratory capacities to perform influenza surveillance throughout the year, as well as for other viral respiratory pathogens. The NIC will also maintain quality assurance and share influenza and other viral important pathogen strains more than once per year. Additionally, the NIC will ensure full participation in the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).

The project will support the strengthening of data management and improve the timeliness of countries reporting to FluNet and the European Surveillance System (TESSy). It will also improve data analysis for informed decision-making and trigger timely public health measures, such as non-pharmaceutical interventions and vaccine use. The South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SECID) will coordinate with countries' national authorities, mainly public health institutes and virology laboratories, as well as WHO, CDC, and ECDC. SECID will follow up and supervise the sharing of influenza data in countries' platforms and in the FluNet system. Samples will be shared with WHO Collaborating Centers in London and CDC at least once per year, and efforts will be made to increase sampling and testing, leading to more contribution to the biannual strain selection for vaccines.

All participating SEE countries will prepare routine joint Animal Human Interface (AHI)/One Health reports by respective human and animal health national or subnational country structures. These reports will provide information on the current situation and activities to continue the established collaboration and ensure strong connection to and communication with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and other animal health structures.

Fondacioni Secid

NOT APPLICABLE

93.318 - Protecting and Improving Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity and Security

CDC Office of Financial Resources (OFR) [HHS - CDC]

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCRID) [HHS - CDC]

Albania

Foreign

Surveillance and Response to Avian and Pandemic Influenza by National Health Authorities outside the United States (CDC-RFA-IP21-2101)

COVID-19 $47,500 (2%) percent of this Cooperative Agreement was funded by COVID-19 emergency acts including the CARES Act.
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 1236% from $224,584 to $2,999,716.