On 28 April 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO), in collaboration with WHO Headquarters, convened a virtual planning meeting with focal points from WHO country offices that receive support through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contribution (PC) fund. The meeting aimed to align planning for the 2026–2027 biennium with key global priorities under the High-Level Implementation Plan III (HLIP III) for pandemic influenza preparedness.
The session brought together representatives from ten PIP PC recipient countries in the region—Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste—as well as technical experts from WHO SEARO and WHO Headquarters. The focus was on aligning country-level planning with the six deliverables of HLIP III, particularly Outputs 1 and 2, which address policy and planning and collaborative surveillance through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).
Dr Ashok Basnet, consultant at SEARO’s Infectious Hazard Management unit, welcomed participants on behalf of the PIP PC Project Manager. He outlined the objectives of the session and introduced the operational guidance for planning national PIP PC activities for 2026–2027.
Global Priorities: Strengthening Policies, Planning, and Vaccination
Dr Sarah Hess, Acting Head of the Pandemic Preparedness Global Platforms Unit at WHO Headquarters, presented the global strategy for Output 1. She emphasized the use of Module 1 of WHO’s Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) initiative to enhance preparedness across respiratory pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV. Key strategies include organizing national workshops, simulations, and training while fostering synergies with frameworks such as MOSAIC.
Dr Shoshanna Goldin, also from the Pandemic Preparedness Global Platforms Unit, outlined the priorities for seasonal influenza vaccination, including workforce training, vaccination program reviews, and impact assessments to build stronger national immunization strategies for 2026–2027.
In support of data-driven decision-making, Dr Vanessa Cozza from the Global Influenza Programme (GIP) discussed WHO’s efforts to support countries in estimating the burden of disease (BOD) due to influenza. She highlighted the rollout of the Influenza Burden Pyramid Tool (Phase II) and development of advocacy materials to promote evidence-based health policies.
Ensuring Collaborative Surveillance Through GISRS
Dr Sergejs Nikisins of the GIP provided a comprehensive overview of Output 2, focusing on the role of GISRS—WHO’s 70-year-old global surveillance network—in detecting influenza threats and enabling pandemic preparedness. He highlighted current challenges such as reagent supply shortages that could jeopardize virus detection and vaccine development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr Nikisins also addressed the need for sustained investments to ensure uninterrupted virus testing and genomic surveillance. He presented detailed budget guidance for workplan development, referencing WHO’s minimum testing requirements.
Open Discussion and Forward Planning
An interactive discussion followed the presentations, during which country office representatives sought clarification on technical elements and shared feedback. Participants expressed appreciation for the clear operational guidance provided, noting that it would help shape impactful, targeted plans under the PIP-PC framework.
The meeting was strategically timed to allow WHO country offices to draft and finalize their national workplans ahead of regional consolidation and submission deadlines. This coordination is critical for maintaining momentum in pandemic influenza preparedness across the South-East Asia Region.
By fostering alignment among global, regional, and national priorities, WHO SEARO and its Member States are reinforcing their commitment to a stronger, more resilient health emergency response system.