The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) has been officially designated the 7th WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza in the world — and the first on the African continent. This recognition, announced on 29 December 2025 by the WHO Regional Office, covers the period 2025–2029 and crowns more than sixty years of virological expertise built in Senegal.
A designation that marks a turning point for African public health
Until now, all six WHO Collaborating Centres for Influenza were located in high-income countries. The designation of IPD changes the picture: Senegal becomes the first developing country to join this elite global network, which plays a central role in influenza virus surveillance and in shaping international vaccine policies.
“This recognition is first and foremost a tribute to the collective work of our researchers, technicians and partners. It confirms Senegal’s place as a major actor in global health security and reinforces our commitment to serving populations. — Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director General of the IPD”
The missions of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza
As a WHO Collaborating Centre, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar now fulfils critical responsibilities at both regional and global level. Its missions include:
- Collecting and analysing samples from multiple countries across sub-Saharan Africa
- Identifying and characterising influenza virus strains in circulation
- Monitoring the genetic and antigenic evolution of influenza viruses
- Sharing virological and epidemiological data with WHO in real time
- Strengthening the laboratory capacity of partner institutions across the region
This data is used directly by WHO to formulate annual vaccine recommendations and to anticipate pandemic risks.
“Our mission is to produce reliable scientific data, in a timely manner, that are essential for understanding influenza virus dynamics and for making informed public health decisions. — Dr Abdourahmane Sow, Director of Public Health at the IPD”
A unique scientific ecosystem on the continent
This designation further strengthens an already exceptional scientific ecosystem. Through the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal is one of the rare countries in the world to simultaneously host a WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Arboviruses, and the only African centre also covering viral haemorrhagic fevers.
Since 1996, the IPD has hosted the WHO National Influenza Reference Centre, ensuring surveillance of influenza syndromes and severe respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2, RSV and metapneumoviruses. This institutional continuity formed the foundation for the current designation.
“Being a WHO Collaborating Centre means that our expertise is fully mobilised in service of international scientific research. This designation rewards decades of investment in influenza surveillance. — Dr Ndongo Dia, Coordinator of the Collaborating Centre”
IPD: a century-long commitment to global health
A Senegalese public-interest foundation, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar has worked for more than one hundred years at the interface of research, diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, training and emergency response. It hosts more than ten reference centres and laboratories recognised by WHO, FAO and CEPI, covering a wide spectrum of high-impact diseases.
This new designation embodies a core conviction: global health security cannot be guaranteed without centres of excellence that are locally grounded and fully integrated into international scientific networks. Africa is no longer simply a beneficiary of global health — it is now a producer of knowledge in its own right.
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