The Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN)

The Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) is a voluntary network of countries, areas and organizations. Created jointly by WHO and the Pacific Community (SPC) in 1996, PPHSN is dedicated to the promotion of public health and improving public health surveillance and response to health emergencies in the Pacific. Its main priority is communicable diseases, especially ones prone to outbreak. Target diseases include: dengue, measles, rubella, influenza, leptospirosis, typhoid fever, SARS and HIV/STIs.

In order to achieve its goals, PPHSN harmonizes the health data needs of Pacific countries, develops adequate surveillance systems and computer applications, adapts public health surveillance training programmes to local and regional needs, and promotes opening the network to new partners, new services and other networks.