The project, which will run for five years with a budget of €5.9 million, complements national plans for combating avian influenza as well as the contributions of other international partners. It also enables these countries to bring themselves into line with the International Health Regulations put in place by the WHO.

The Institut Pasteur in Paris is managing the project via the five associated institutes from the Institut Pasteur International Network in the countries concerned: Cambodia, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Hanoi) and Shanghai. The project has been launched in each country according to the terms of a partnership agreement signed between the Institut Pasteur in Paris and each partner institute.

The purpose of Surveillance and Investigation of Endemic Situations in South-East Asia (SISEA) is to contribute to improving detection and management of epidemic episodes in the region.

The specific objective of SISEA is the implementation of a surveillance and investigation program in four countries in the region (China, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia).

This objective is tied to the achievement of the following three results:

1. The reference functions of the network of IP laboratories has been strengthened in China (Shanghai), Vietnam and Cambodia. The NCLE (National Center for Laboratory and Epidemiology) in Laos has also been strengthened, which has enabled its participation in the SISEA network.

2. The mechanisms for epidemic surveillance and alert relating to emerging viruses have been strengthened in each country involved in the project.

3. Epidemic response networks have been strengthened on a regional level.