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PPHSN Influenza Specialist Group (ISG)
TORs and membership
Terms of Reference
The Influenza Specialist Group is a technical advisory body of
the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) with the following
duties:
Provide
technical advice and supervision on influenza-related projects (e.g. PRIPPP, CDC
lab-based
influenza surveillance):
o Propose
projects to improve influenza surveillance, prevention and control
o Advise
in the design phase of the projects
o Provide
regular supervision of the projects
o Propose
amendments to the projects
Be
advocate within the PPHSN for all influenza matters:
o Promote
awareness of influenza and sharing of influenza-related information in the
region.
o Collate
regional information and report influenza data (PacNet, the PPHSN, WHO etc).
o Provide
advice and guidelines on the appropriate use of vaccines, antivirals and PPE
o Provide
advice and guidance on the appropriate non-pharmaceutical public health
measures against influenza
Oversee
updates of the PPHSN Guidelines on influenza (incl. for Influenza Pandemic
Preparedness)
Promote
increased communication and collaboration with Animal Health professionals in
addressing
issues of mutual interest
Be
the communication link on influenza for the PPHSN:
o
Maintain linkages with technical experts.
o Support
LabNet in the development of influenza testing programs.
o Advise
on prioritisation of operational research in the region.
o Share
important information related to pandemic influenza (incl. preparedness) with
the
Pacific Avian & Pandemic Influenza Taskforce
Report
on activities and findings to PPHSN-CB (through common members or reports)
Membership
Members of the ISG should be professionals in areas like
clinical, public or animal health, laboratory, immunization or infection
control, currently work on, and have experience and interest in
influenza-related areas. They should carry out work in the Pacific Island
region.
They should be willing to spend time on activities as described
in the above terms of reference.
The following membership is proposed, with a total number of
members between 10 and 15:
Regional
Adviser, Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response, WHO/WPRO,
Manila, Philippines
Medical
Officer, Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response, WHO Office for the
South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Epidemiologist
(representing also the human health area of the PRIPPP), SPC, Noumea,
New
Caledonia
Animal
Health & Production Adviser (representing also the animal health area of the
PRIPPP), SPC, Suva, Fiji
Pharmacist/biologist
in charge of influenza, IPNC (NIC), Noumea, New Caledonia
Director
or Deputy Director, WHO Influenza Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Director
or Deputy Director, Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), Geelong,
Australia
Scientific
Officer (Influenza),Virology Service, Christchurch, New Zealand
Health
professionals from PICTs (2-4 volunteers or so reporting to others if necessary)
Animal
health professionals from PICTs (1-2 volunteers or so reporting to others if
necessary)
After advertisement on PacNet and PacVet, selection of members from the last 2
groups (health professionals from the PICTs) will be based on their CVs,
especially if more applications than the proposed numbers are received. The
selection process will be carried out by the other ISG members. Additionally to
the criteria presented above, complementarities of experiences will be taken
into account in the selection process.
Chairperson:
to be elected by ISG members, and renewed every 1-2 year(s)
Membership
to
be updated when decided by the PPHSN Coordinating Body according to ISG advice,
possibly every 2 years.
Communication:
ISG
e-mailing list or other ways if required
Contact:
For any further information please
contact the Influenza Specialist Group
through SPC Public Health Surveillance and
Communicable Disease Control section:
<phs.cdc@spc.int>.
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