SARInet Organization

Members

Member States of the Americas that conduct SARI surveillance or are interested in implementing such systems are invited to join SARInet as Members.  To strengthen the collaboration and quality of work conducted by SARInet, Members are encouraged to:

  • Name two national focal points (one epidemiology and one laboratory) to maintain communication with the network
  • Establish a system of evaluation and monitoring in their participating hospitals
  • Generate and disseminate reports about the burden and epidemiology of influenza
  • Participate in FluID and FluNET
  • Participate in public health research projects
  • Propose technical projects

Participants

Individuals involved with SARI surveillance within hospitals, laboratories or other organizations are invited to join SARInet as Participants.  To enhance the collaboration and exchange of information, participants are encouraged to:

  • Share experiences and lessons learned from working in SARI surveillance

Collaborators

Organizations and institutions that support SARI surveillance activities are invited to join SARInet as Collaborators.  To enhance the exchange of information and promote a multidisciplinary approach to improving regional surveillance, Collaborators are encouraged to share experiences and insights by:

  • Participating in the network’s annual meetings
  • Providing technical and/or scientific support, as necessary
  • Contributing to the advancement of SARInet and its efforts to diminish the burden of influenza and ORV-associated SARI
  • Proposing public health research projects

SARInet Advisory Group

In the inaugural year, an Advisory Group will be established to oversee the work of SARInet and ensure that the activities of the network are aligned with its goals and objectives.  The Advisory Group will:

  • Review, supervise, and evaluate the implementation of SARInet’s activities
  • Propose specific activities for SARInet
  • Propose the creation of new working groups and coordinate them
  • Determine the schedule of annual meetings and other events
  • Communicate, as necessary, with the network members regarding updates and important matters via face-to-face or virtual meetings and electronic messages

The Secretariat

PAHO acts as secretariat for SARInet. It will coordinate the activities of the network, including the provision of technical resources and support, and the facilitation of communication among members. A network-wide SARInet annual meeting will be held to discuss the annual network activities and system resources; share experiences, data, and ideas about SARI surveillance; and improve the sustainability and impact of SARInet.

In the capacity of SARInet’s Secretariat, PAHO will be available to:

  • Provide technical support and trainings to improve members’ SARI surveillance systems
  • Assist countries in evaluating their surveillance procedures and capacities
  • Provide a forum to share good practices of the scientific community
  • Maintain a platform for information sharing
  • Distribute weekly reports summarizing the epidemiologic picture of influenza and other respiratory viruses in the Americas
  • Distribute other reports and updates on the activities of the network
  • Develop and strengthen strategic partnerships
  • Mobilize technical and financial resources for the activities of the network
  • Support and facilitate technical cooperation among countries
  • Convene the network’s annual meeting
  • Maintain and facilitate communication with all the members of the network

Working Groups

Specific SARInet working groups will be created as needed to address specific projects according to the needs and interests of the network.  The Secretariat and the Advisory Group will establish working groups and will request the participation of the interested members.  The working groups will define their objectives and the duration, and will report periodically on their progress to the Advisory Group.  The working groups will consist of volunteers who will participate actively by sharing ideas, abilities, and experiences in order to complete the defined projects.