WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ
WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION Date: 7 October 2025
ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE Ms Helen Sõber
BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE
REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA
Adviser
ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО European Union Affairs and International Co-
Head office:
operation Department
UN City, Marmorvej 51, Ministry of Social Affairs
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Suur-Ameerika 1
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01
Email:
[email protected] 10122 Tallinn
Website: https://www.who.int/europe Estonia
Our reference: MAW/KN Your reference:
Notre référence: A/kha Votre référence:
Unser Zeichen: Ihr Zeichen:
См. наш номер: На Ваш номер:
Dear Ms Sõber,
I am pleased to inform you that, following a review of performance during the 2023/2024 influenza
seasons, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the continued recognition of the
National Influenza Centre (NIC) of Estonia, under the leadership of Ms Johanna Kristina Tamm,
at the Laboratory for Communicable Diseases Health Board. This recognition reflects the Centre’s
sustained compliance with the established WHO criteria and its important contribution to global
influenza surveillance.
NICs are a cornerstone of national, regional, and global preparedness and response to influenza.
Through their participation in the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), NICs
provide essential data that inform risk assessments, guide control measures, and underpin the biannual
recommendations for the composition of seasonal influenza vaccines. Their contributions are
indispensable to global health security.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for robust, integrated systems to monitor
respiratory pathogens of public health importance. Building on existing influenza surveillance, WHO
now strongly recommends the integration of SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) into
established surveillance platforms. Many Member States have already embarked on this path,
demonstrating both feasibility and added value.
I take this opportunity to encourage your Ministry to continue providing full support to the NIC in
your country to enable it to:
• maintain its essential role in influenza surveillance in line with the WHO Terms of Reference;
• actively participate in the sharing of representative influenza viruses and data through GISRS;
• strengthen capacities for integrated surveillance of influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.
UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email:
[email protected]
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe
Denmark
WHO remains fully committed to supporting your country in these efforts, through the provision of
technical guidance, training, external quality assessments, and opportunities for collaboration within
the GISRS network and beyond.
Allow me to thank you sincerely for your Ministry’s continued collaboration and commitment. With
your leadership and support, the NIC in your country will remain a central actor in protecting national,
regional, and global health.
Sincerely yours,
Dr Ihor Perehinets
Health Security and Regional Emergency Director
Division of Health Security.
Copy for information to:
Ms Agne Nettan-Sepp, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of
Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia
H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, Permanent Mission of
the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Chemin
du Petit-Saconnex 28A, CH-1209 Genève, Switzerland
H.E. Mr Andre Pung, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Estonia,
Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, 1265 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, 10617 Tallinn, Estonia
–2–
Enclosure
Details of the NIC in your country, status of WHO-recognition
and key reference documents
NIC should demonstrate each year that they comply with the WHO NIC terms of reference.
Those NIC that did not meet the criteria will have one year for corrective action, which will be
supported by WHO where possible.
Thank you for reviewing the NIC details below and to inform us of any changes.
1. NIC details
Laboratory for Communicable Diseases Health Board
Paldiski mnt 81, 10614, Tallinn, Estonia
Fax: +372 6943 651
Status of WHO recognition for 2023-2024 season:
Maintained: NIC meets the criteria
Provisionally maintained: NIC failed to meet all the criteria
2. Key reference documents:
1. How to become a WHO-recognized National Influenza Centre: Guidance on the process for influenza laboratories in the
WHO European Region [web site]. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe,
(https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/559f5757-5646-4aa5-850c-4f81574a4edf/content)
2. Terms of Reference for National Influenza Centres, revised, 30 May 2024 [web site]. Geneva, World Health
Organization, (https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/influenza/national-influenza-centers-files/nic-tor-
2025/gisrs_nic_tor_2025--english.pdf?sfvrsn=83a27315_5)
3. Pandemic influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other
benefits, second edition. Geneva: World Health organization; 2021,
(https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/4e22d25c-7084-4832-a0ff-667eac7ed714/content)
4. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control/WHO Regional Office for Europe, European Respiratory Virus
Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), (https://erviss.org/)
–3–
Saatja: "HAGEBRO, Krystyna" <
[email protected]>
Saaja: "Helen Sõber - SOM" <
[email protected]>
Teema: Estonia - NIC annual recognition confirmation letter
Kuupäev: 2025-10-08 08:18
Tähelepanu! Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga.
Tundmatu saatja korral palume linke ja faile mitte avada.
Dear Ms Sõber,
On behalf of Dr Ihor Perehinets, Health Security and Regional Emergency
Director, Division of Health Security I am pleased to send you the attached
letter regarding the status of the WHO recognized NIC in your country.
Yours sincerely,