The Global Influenza Programme (GIP) is a program launched in 1947 by the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

with the purpose to provide member states with guidance, support and coordination of activities in order to make their health systems better prepared against seasonal, zoonotic and pandemic

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

threats to populations and individuals. GIP was initiated as one of

WHO Who or WHO may refer to: * Who (pronoun), an interrogative or relative pronoun * Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism * World Health Organization Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Who, a creature in the Dr. Seuss book '' Horton He ...

's initial programs. __TOC__

History

In 1947, an immediate concern in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

was a major influenza outbreak in the continent, as well as the need to identify appropriate viruses for a vaccine against the circulating strains. The WHO Interim Committee of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

agreed to begin a Global Influenza Programme (GIP) for the study and control of influenza. In 1948, the Interim Committee recommended the establishment of the first World Influenza Centre at the National Institute for Medical Research in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

along with Regional Centres and Observers. A total of 38 regional centers (later named National Influenza Centers) were summoned to participate in the effort, which took extensive activity to develop plans and coordinate information and virus sharing. Five years after the establishment of GIP, the

Global Influenza Surveillance Network National Influenza Centers (also called National Influenza Centres) are institutions which are formally recognized as such by the World Health Organization (WHO).Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) is a global network of laboratories that has for purpose to monitor the spread of influenza with the aim to provide the World Health Organization with influenza control information. It w ...

(GISRS).

References

{{reflist, 30em Influenza World Health Organization

History

See also

References