India convened the Influenza Chintan Shivir from 22–23 December 2025, a two-day hybrid meeting that brought together key national ministries, scientific institutions, and partners to strengthen interministerial and intersectoral coordination for influenza preparedness, surveillance, and response. The workshop emphasized influenza as a persistent public health threat and a crucial entry point for reinforcing national and regional health security. Organized by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the World Health Organization (WHO), and allied ministries, the Shivir aimed to align human, animal, and environmental health sectors under the One Health approach.
The meeting opened with addresses from senior national and international public health authorities, including Prof. Ranjan Das, Director of NCDC, and Dr. Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services, who highlighted influenza preparedness as a national priority. Ms. Payden, Acting WHO Representative to India, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting India through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), while Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, stressed the need for sustained, whole-of-government preparedness and strong intersectoral convergence to address seasonal, zoonotic, and pandemic influenza threats.
Technical sessions provided a global and regional overview of influenza risk, with WHO presenting updates on global influenza activity and the ongoing role of GISRS in surveillance, virus characterization, and risk assessment. Presentations highlighted continuous influenza activity in the WHO South-East Asia Region, demonstrating that influenza is a year-round stressor on regional health systems. Key events from 2025, including the circulation of influenza A(H3N2) sub-clade K and limited human influenza A(H5) cases, were cited as examples of how surveillance informs public health decision-making. The sessions also emphasized the critical importance of virus sharing with WHO Collaborating Centres for global risk assessment, vaccine strain selection, and pandemic preparedness.
Participants actively engaged with the technical presentations, discussing topics such as virus sharing mechanisms, surveillance data access, and the benefits of intersectoral coordination. Representatives from India’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) elaborated on how virus sharing enhances global risk assessments, informs vaccine strain selection, and fosters scientific collaboration. The workshop provided a platform for the Pandemic & Epidemic Management Unit of WHO SEARO, the WHO Country Office for India, and multiple allied ministries to discuss strengthening collaboration for national and regional health security.
The Shivir concluded with discussions emphasizing sustained interministerial and intersectoral collaboration, routine preparedness, and institutionalized convergence. Key takeaways included the need for year-round surveillance, early detection, and preparedness measures; the importance of intersectoral coordination for effective response; and the value of strengthening laboratory networks, data sharing, and virus characterization under GISRS for both national and global health security. The workshop reaffirmed India’s commitment to a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to influenza preparedness, leveraging existing systems, strengthening coordination mechanisms, and embedding influenza preparedness within broader health security frameworks to enhance regional and global resilience.
