Centre, WHO Hold Chintan Shivir to Strengthen Influenza Preparedness Ahead of Season

The initiative aims to provide a structured platform for policy dialogue and coordinated action among key stakeholders to strengthen India’s preparedness and response mechanisms ahead of the upcoming influenza season.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) India, is organising a two-day Chintan Shivir on “Strengthening Interministerial and Intersectoral Convergence for Influenza Preparedness and Response” from 22–23 December 2025 in New Delhi. The initiative aims to provide a structured platform for policy dialogue and coordinated action among key stakeholders to strengthen India’s preparedness and response mechanisms ahead of the upcoming influenza season.

Union Health Minister Emphasises Coordinated Preparedness

Addressing the inaugural session virtually, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda highlighted the importance of collective deliberation to enhance national resilience against influenza. He emphasised that preparedness and response activities—including surge capacity planning, clinical readiness, laboratory preparedness and risk communication—must be well aligned and operationalised in a timely manner.

The Union Health Minister underlined the critical role of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in monitoring seasonal influenza trends across the country. He stressed that coordinated and synergistic efforts between the Centre and States are essential for maintaining robust, responsive and collaborative disease surveillance systems nationwide.

Strong Multisectoral and Interministerial Participation

The Chintan Shivir has brought together around 110 representatives from a wide range of ministries, departments and institutions, reflecting strong multisectoral engagement. Participants include officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Institute of Virology (NIV), partner organisations, as well as representatives from States and Union Territories.

Officials from 11 States participated in person, while others joined virtually, enabling cross-learning through the sharing of best practices, operational experiences and region-specific challenges in influenza preparedness and response.

Addressing a Persistent Public Health Challenge

Influenza continues to pose a significant public health challenge in India and globally, with periodic outbreaks leading to substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly among young children, elderly populations, pregnant women and individuals with chronic illnesses. Against this backdrop, the Chintan Shivir has been convened at a critical time to strengthen readiness ahead of seasonal transmission peaks.

Deliberations highlighted that influenza preparedness cannot remain siloed and must be underpinned by convergence across sectors, encompassing surveillance, early warning systems, laboratory capacity, clinical management, and effective risk communication. The Health Ministry continues to closely monitor influenza trends in real time through the IDSP network.

Towards Actionable Preparedness Frameworks

A key outcome of the Chintan Shivir is the advancement of a more structured and actionable preparedness review mechanism for States, Union Territories and institutions. This includes the development of a practical preparedness checklist to support readiness assessments, identify gaps, and guide time-bound follow-up actions.

Discussions reinforced the importance of timely information sharing, clarity of roles and responsibilities, and coordinated interdepartmental action to ensure swift and effective response during influenza outbreaks.

Strengthening One Health–Based Preparedness

The Chintan Shivir marks an important step towards strengthening One Health–based preparedness, by integrating human, animal and environmental health systems. By fostering a whole-of-government approach through a One Health lens, the initiative contributes to enhancing India’s pandemic preparedness and response capabilities.

The convergence-driven approach also supports broader objectives of national and global health security, reflecting India’s commitment to collaborative health action in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.