Influenza surveillance in Middle East, North, East and South Africa: Report of the 8th MENA Influenza Stakeholders Network

Abstract

The Middle‐East and Africa Influenza Surveillance Network ( MENA ‐ ISN ), established in 2014, includes 15 countries at present. Country representatives presented their influenza surveillance programmes, vaccine coverage and influenza control actions achieved, and provided a list of country surveillance/control objectives for the upcoming 3 years. This report details the current situation of influenza surveillance and action plans to move forward in MENA ‐ ISN countries. Data were presented at the 8th MENA ‐ ISN meeting, organized by the Mérieux Foundation that was held on 10‐11 April 2018 in Cairo, Egypt. The meeting included MENA ‐ ISN representatives from 12 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates) and experts from the Canadian Centre for Vaccinology, and the World Health Organization. Meeting participants concluded that influenza remains a significant threat especially in high‐risk groups (children under‐5, elderly, pregnant women and immunosuppressed individuals) in the MENA ‐ ISN region. Additional funding and planning are required by member countries to contain this threat. Future meetings will need to focus on creative and innovative ways to inform policy and initiatives for vaccination, surveillance and management of influenza‐related morbidity and mortality especially among the most vulnerable groups of the population.

Disparities in influenza vaccination: Arab Americans in California

“…Our results support the notion that health behaviors differ with each immigrant generation [16]. Influenza vaccination remains uncommon in the MENA region, in part due to low vaccine efficacy, as well as misbeliefs and fear concerning the vaccine [29,30]. Vaccination rates may increase with each Arab American generation due to separation from these health beliefs.…”

The burden of influenza and other respiratory viruses in hospitalized infants and children in a university hospital, Jordan

“…The World Health Organization cites reports from developed countries that estimate the total annual cost of influenza infections between U$1 million to U$6 million per 100,000 [ 16 ]. Epidemiological studies on ALRI in general and pediatric influenza are scarce in the Middle East, including Jordan [ 17 , 18 ].…”

“…This report concluded that influenza poses a significant threat, especially in high-risk groups (children under five, elderly, pregnant women, and immunosuppressed individuals). This finding called for additional funding and planning to address such a threat [ 18 ]. 6-year surveillance on influenza hospitalization with SARS was performed in Jordan by Abdullat et al ., it concluded that influenza was associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in the country; with influenza detected in 9% of SARS cases and had a death rate of 3% [ 19 ].…”

Influenza vaccination should have no border: cost-effectiveness of cross-border subsidy

“…This burden persists despite uptake that exceeds 60% within the targeted groups, and 20% overall. Influenza incidence in the Palestinian territories is unreliably reported but is likely to be even higher given the greater population density, [ 7 ] and the considerably low vaccination coverage [ 8 – 10 ].…”