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January - September 2024
SARInet plus
Newsletter
Welcome to Our Community
SARInet plus is moving forward, and we’re excited to announce it! Along with our quarterly newsletters, we will host webinars, activate working groups, and connect through HIVE to strengthen our community’s efforts in comprehensive surveillance of influenza and other respiratory viral diseases with pandemic and epidemic potential.
We look forward to keeping you informed and engaged as we work together towards our shared goals in SARInet plus.
Thank you for being part of this network dedicated to advancing respiratory virus surveillance!
Highlights
Barbados celebrates global recognition of Best-Dos Santos Laboratory as a National Influenza Centre
Barbados has reached a major milestone in its public health journey with the Best-Dos Santos Public Health Laboratory (BDSPHL) officially recognized as a National Influenza Centre (NIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO). This designation, celebrated in October 2023, marks a significant chapter in the country's efforts to bolster its public health infrastructure and respond to infectious diseases on a global scale.
The BDSPHL, which opened in 2018, has evolved into a vital public health asset, driven by strong government leadership and collaboration with international health organizations, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
The journey to NIC status was the result of rigorous standards set by the WHO and the collaborative efforts of BDSPHL’s leadership, government support, and international partnerships. Now, as part of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), the lab plays a key role in providing essential influenza data, helping to shape more effective vaccines and treatments.
Moving forward, the BDSPHL is set to expand its role in public health, with plans to enhance laboratory services and build capacity in areas like cancer diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and genetic testing. The lab's work not only strengthens Barbados’ public health response but also supports neighboring Eastern Caribbean nations, further solidifying its position as a regional leader in public health.
Costa Rica strengthens its respiratory virus surveillance system as a key country in the PIP Framework
Costa Rica is positioned as one of the key beneficiaries of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, a global initiative coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO). This framework aims to improve preparedness, surveillance, and response capacities for influenza pandemics by providing financial and technical resources to strengthen both health infrastructure and national response capabilities.
As part of the PIP Framework 2024-2025 work plan, PAHO organized a technical mission from February 13-15, 2024, in Costa Rica. This mission stood out as a successful example of interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating the support of specialists in epidemiology, laboratory, and information systems to strengthen public health capacities in the country.
The objectives covered were: 1) monitoring PIP Framework activities, 2) analyzing a suspected case of Influenza A H3v in Costa Rica, and 3) developing the IT interface for FluNet and FluID to optimize reports to PAHO/WHO.
During this mission, PAHO representatives worked closely with colleagues from the Ministry of Health, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), and the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA).
News
Implementation of the Mosaic Framework in Paraguay: Experts work to optimize respiratory virus surveillance
From August 6 to 9, a workshop was held in Paraguay to implement the Mosaic Framework for Respiratory Virus Surveillance, an initiative led by WHO and designed to help countries adapt and improve their respiratory virus surveillance systems. The primary goal of the workshop was to map current approaches, identify gaps, and strengthen respiratory virus surveillance capacities.
Implementation of the Mosaic Framework in São Paulo: Experts meet to strengthen respiratory virus surveillance in Brazil
From August 27 to 30, the Mosaic Workshop, an initiative promoted by the Disease Control Coordination (CCD) of the State Secretariat of Health (SES), in partnership with the Butantan Institute, the Ministry of Health and PAHO, was held. The lessons learned in São Paulo will provide key inputs for the improvement of future workshops to be held throughout Brazil, contributing to the strengthening of surveillance approaches at the national level.
PAHO trains healthcare workers in respiratory protection
PAHO through the Infectious Hazard Management Unit, has trained 238 healthcare workers and representatives from 12 selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. This training aims to support the implementation of respiratory protection programs in these countries. The program has in-person and virtual training; it also uses a manual, the first respiratory protection program manual published by PAHO.
PAHO Visit to Suriname: Strengthening Respiratory Virus Surveillance
From April 15 to 19, PAHO conducted a mission in Suriname to reinforce respiratory virus surveillance and enhance pandemic preparedness as part of the 2024-2025 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Plan. This mission demonstrates the commitment of Suriname to improving respiratory disease surveillance and ensuring better preparedness for potential pandemics in the future.
Dominican Republic's Ministry of Health strengthens plans for respiratory pandemics or epidemics
The workshop "Framework for National Programs for the Prevention and Control of Diseases Caused by Respiratory Viruses with Epidemic and Pandemic Potential" was conducted with the support of PAHO and other health sector actors, strengthening the country's capacity to effectively respond to any health situation that may arise in the Dominican Republic, especially concerning respiratory viruses.
Regional Workshop: Strengthening influenza surveillance andvaccination through collaborative efforts
The Comprehensive Immunization Program (CIM) and the Health Emergencies Unit (PHE) of PAHO have conducted a regional workshop to estimate the health burden of respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses and the impact of the flu vaccine, aiming to generate strategic information to support decision-making related to the prevention and control of seasonal influenza.
Documents and trainings
PAHO Practical Guide: Developing respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness plans
This resource provides a clear and concise approach to the four essential steps for updating or developing respiratory pandemic preparedness and response plans. Adapted from Chapter 9 of Module 1 of the PRET initiative, the objective is for countries in the Region of the Americas to have robust, tested and regularly updated operational plans to ensure a rapid and effective response to future threats.
Development of a Training Curriculum to Strengthen Data Competencies for Respiratory Virus Surveillance in the Americas Moves Forward
In May 2024, following the SARInet plus regional meeting, a strategic project was launched to strengthen the capacities of respiratory virus surveillance teams in the Americas. This project seeks to develop a training curriculum in data competencies to improve the management, analysis and interpretation of surveillance data, facilitating more effective decision-making in public health.
SARInet plus and Revelac-i technical note and report
We are excited to share the technical note and report from the regional meeting of SARInet plus and REVELAC-i, held in Mexico City from May 14 to 16, 2024. This event gathered over 190 professionals from 36 countries to discuss surveillance, diagnosis, and immunization for influenza and other respiratory viruses.
The documents include a summary of key discussions and action points, along with abstracts from presentations. They are available in both English and Spanish and are attached to this newsletter. We encourage you to review and share these resources with your colleagues. Thank you for your participation and commitment to the SARInet plus network!
HIVE community
The SARInet plus community is hosted on HIVE, a digital space for health emergency preparedness and response. Our Community aims to create a collaborative platform where members share expertise, co-develop solutions, and enhance our capacity to respond to health emergencies. On HIVE, members can collaborate, exchange knowledge, access reliable information, and engage in action-oriented activities, focusing on the surveillance and management of influenza and other respiratory viruses with epidemic and pandemic potential in the Americas.
