Dr Preben Aavitsland

Professor Aavitsland is the Director of surveillance, Area of Infection Control, Management and Staff, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway and Professor at the Pandemic Centre, University of Bergen. 

Professor Aavitsland has served for 27 years in various posts at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, including several leading roles, such as Director of Preparedness and State Epidemiologist. He was the Norwegian member of the Advisory Forum of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the EU’s Network Committee for Communicable Diseases. He is also a former municipal chief physician in Arendal and Froland.  

Professor Aavitsland served on the following IHR Review Committees: Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) in relation to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009; Second Extensions for Establishing National Public Health Capacities and on IHR Implementation; Role of the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Ebola Outbreak and Response; and Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) during the COVID-19 Response. He also served on the IHR Emergency Committee on Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kivu and Ituri).