Celebrating 15 years of investments in pandemic influenza preparedness at this year’s World Health Assembly
The Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework marks 15 years in action at this year’s World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, to be held on 18–23 May. The innovative global approach to preparing for and responding to influenza pandemics was adopted in 2011, prompting WHO and its Member States to look back at what has been achieved and look ahead to the role it can continue to play in the future.
Through the access and benefit sharing mechanism of the PIP Framework, manufacturers of pandemic influenza-related products such as vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics have been making an annual partnership contribution (PC) to help to build pandemic preparedness capacity and provide resources for responding to the next influenza pandemic.
“Since the PIP Framework and its partnership contribution were launched a decade and a half ago, the progress made in pandemic influenza preparedness has been remarkable,” says Dr Marc-Alain Widdowson, who leads WHO/Europe’s Pandemic Threats, Communicable Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance unit. “Sustained investment and a focus on priority areas and countries means that the Region is now better prepared for the next influenza pandemic.”
Stronger laboratory systems and regional sequencing capacity
Virological surveillance has advanced significantly as a result of systematic capacity building, training and investments in influenza laboratory networks. Since 2014, the number of WHO-recognized national influenza centres (NICs) in the WHO European Region has increased from 41 to 47, which includes new NICs in 3 PIP priority countries (Armenia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). This expansion has improved geographical coverage of virological data and influenza samples shared with WHO collaborating centres for virus characterization, continuous risk assessment and informing influenza vaccine composition.
In addition, the annual global influenza external quality assessment shows that the performance of influenza laboratories has improved remarkably over the years. Furthermore, training in biosafety and transport of infectious substance has strengthened the ability of laboratories to handle and ship infectious substances safely. In the last 2 years alone, 145 experts from 14 countries, including 55 from PIP priority countries, were certified as shippers.
By 2025, all countries in the Region had access to next-generation sequencing, resulting in faster and more cost–effective monitoring of virus evolution, real-time tracking of mutations and development of appropriate vaccines and diagnostics.
Improved epidemiological surveillance
With PIP PC support, sentinel influenza surveillance systems have improved significantly in all 6 PIP priority countries (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) in the Region. Sentinel surveillance enables countries to more consistently and robustly monitor circulating respiratory viruses based on data collected at selected sites such as outpatient clinics or hospitals. Sentinel surveillance data can inform national public health action and, when reported to regional or global surveillance platforms, contribute to regional and global surveillance and risk assessment. In the WHO European Region, the European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS) is published every week by WHO/Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control with respiratory surveillance data reported by European countries.
The virological and epidemiological surveillance achievements have strengthened the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). Founded in 1952, GISRS provides the foundation for global surveillance, risk assessment and seasonal and pandemic vaccine development. The backbone of GISRS is the network of WHO-recognized NICs.
Expanded seasonal influenza vaccination and stronger policy foundations
Since 2014, influenza vaccine distribution more than doubled across the Region, with a six-fold increase in PIP priority countries. The proportion of countries in the Region with recommendations for key target groups rose from 30% to 60%, while the proportion of countries monitoring vaccination coverage among older adults improved from 75% to 95%.
Three countries reported significant vaccination developments: Tajikistan procured government-funded influenza vaccines for the first time in 2025, Ukraine introduced pharmacy-based vaccination in 2024 and Turkmenistan approved its first multiyear seasonal influenza vaccination policy in 2025.
Pandemic preparedness and broader health security gains
As part of pandemic preparedness strengthening, WHO is encouraging and supporting countries to update their national pandemic plans following the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, 11 countries have updated their national plans, while more than 25 others are in the process of updating theirs. Moreover, at least 8 countries have conducted pandemic preparedness exercises engaging relevant sectors and national and local stakeholders. The purpose of these exercises is to reinforce lessons learned from COVID-19 and test aspects such as multisectoral coordination, command and control structures, and pandemic response measures.
These improvements help to strengthen the International Health Regulations core capacities, demonstrating how influenza preparedness investments enhance overall health security.
Looking ahead to the next 15 years
“PIP investments have strengthened Armenia’s health security and resilience. Looking ahead, the robust surveillance system and partnerships established under the PIP Framework will contribute immensely towards preparedness and response to any future pandemic threats,” says Dr Siddhartha Datta, WHO Representative in Armenia.
Regionally, the progress made in strengthening influenza surveillance and response has shown that long-term, predictable investment under the PIP Framework drives measurable, sustainable results. Continued focus on integrated respiratory disease surveillance; infrastructure for genomic sequencing and data analysis; equitable vaccine access; and well-tested pandemic plans will ensure that the Region remains prepared for future influenza pandemics and emerging respiratory threats.
Commenting on plans for this year’s World Health Assembly to mark the 15th anniversary of the PIP Framework and its partnership contribution, Anne Huvos, Head of the PIP Framework Secretariat, said: “As WHO Member States continue to develop and negotiate a broader Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) as an annex to the newly adopted WHO Pandemic Agreement, PIP remains a living example of PABS at work, championing equity to improve pandemic influenza preparedness and response.”
Background to the PIP Framework and PIP PC in the WHO European Region
Bringing together Member States, industry, other stakeholders and WHO, the Framework’s primary objectives are to strengthen the sharing of influenza viruses with human pandemic potential and improve developing countries’ access to vaccines and other pandemic-related supplies.
Most of the PIP PC (70%) is allocated to pandemic preparedness capacity building and system strengthening across all 6 WHO regions, with the remaining 30% allocated for future influenza pandemic response.
The main objectives, outputs and deliverables for PIP PC implementation are described in the 6-year High-level Implementation Plan (HLIP III), which runs through 2030.
Since 2014, PIP PC implementation in the WHO European Region has focused on improving virological and epidemiological influenza surveillance, pandemic preparedness plans, seasonal and pandemic vaccination programmes, and risk communications, community engagement and infodemic management.
The 6 PIP priority countries, selected based on HLIP III criteria, have received dedicated support to strengthen laboratory and surveillance capacities and pandemic preparedness planning.
