Pasteur International EN - International context

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Context

In 2006, the world health situation was significantly impacted by the emergence of new viruses, such as SARS and avian influenza. The pandemic spread of new infectious agents was anticipated by the WHO for the first time.

Faced with this risk, there was an unprecedented mobilization on the part of the international community: specialist international organizations – the WHO, the IEO and the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) – identified strategies for fighting and preventing possible pandemics. Each country turned these strategies into concrete plans, based on the rapid identification of suspect cases, analysis of viral strains – enabling the detection of any mutations – and the organization of coordinated responses at national and regional level.

The SISEA project has been inherent to this context from its very beginning, but has intentionally avoided limiting itself to avian influenza: its goal at the outset was to contribute to improved detection and management of epidemics resulting from emerging viruses in South-East Asia (Cambodia, China, Laos, Vietnam).

Circumstances rapidly gave new insight into the SISEA project: the number of human cases of avian influenza increased steadily and the vast majority of people with the disease lived in Asia. More recently, other emergences have been detected: H1N1v influenza, new clinical forms of encephalitis, etc.

SISEA fits perfectly into the framework defined by the WHO’s International Health Regulations by contributing to improving surveillance capability on a local, intermediate and national level. In addition to local surveillance sites, SISEA has enabled the development of virological and bacteriological surveillance techniques that can confirm the nature of the events notified. The establishment of close links with local Ministries of Health also favors the achievement of the IHR objectives.