Brunei Darussalam strengthens the Western Pacific’s early warning system with its national influenza centre

In February 2026, Brunei Darussalam reached a health security milestone with the formal establishment of a National Influenza Centre (NIC). Similar centres in WHO Western Pacific Member States collectively serve as the essential backbone of the early health emergency warning system in the Region, acting as a frontline defence against viral threats with pandemic potential.

The mandate of an NIC is comprehensive, it collects clinical specimens year-round to monitor for zoonotic threats, including avian influenza and alerts WHO and national authorities to unusual outbreaks. Beyond surveillance, these centres perform sophisticated laboratory testing to identify virus types, contribute data for the development of seasonal influenza vaccines and provide scientific evidence needed to guide national policies on outbreak prevention.

Reflecting on the strategic importance of this achievement, Dr Zainun Zaini, serving as both NIC Director and Acting Director of the Department of Laboratory Services at Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam noted “the recognition of our National Influenza Centre is a critical step for both Brunei Darussalam’s national health security, as well as the wider region’s emergency preparedness. By integrating our laboratory capabilities into a global network, we are contributing to the regional diagnostic infrastructure not just for influenza outbreaks but also for other infectious diseases.”

A partnership to enhance regional pandemic preparedness

The achievement was the fruition of years of effort by the Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam in close partnership with WHO and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza (Australia).

The journey began in 2019, when the Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam designated the National Virology Reference Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Services as a prospective NIC, initiating a rigorous recognition process. By 2023, the collaboration intensified. WHO conducted a formal NIC-recognition mission, inspecting facilities and assessing compliance with international standards.

Together with Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam, WHO supported the laboratory to act on suggested improvements and share data on influenza and other respiratory viruses with WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, a global mechanism and resource for surveillance and control of influenza and other respiratory viruses.

Mazmah Ahmad Morshidi, Scientific Officer at the National Virology Reference Laboratory, described the journey: “The road to recognition required us to elevate every aspect of our operations. From refining how we share data with the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System to mastering complex testing procedures, the process was rigorous. It was about moving from a standard laboratory to a highly trusted and internationally recognized facility capable of delivering accurate, real-time data.”

Elevating the early warning systems for influenza

To bridge any remaining gaps, WHO led intensive capacity-building sessions, mentored the National Influenza Centre team to improve testing accuracy and evaluated proficiency in laboratory testing procedures.

“Through testing and maintaining quality standards in influenza laboratories globally, WHO ensures that Member States have influenza laboratories that are operating at similar high standards of performance. We congratulate the government of Brunei Darussalam for its dedication and sustained efforts in achieving this recognition and advancing pandemic preparedness,” noted Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

The addition of Brunei Darussalam’s NIC comes at a critical time. Today, 57% of the Western Pacific Region has NIC coverage, an improvement reflective of both WHO’s sustained efforts over time and the ever-present risk of an emerging novel pathogen with pandemic potential. Many NICs have expanded their role to include integrated surveillance of other respiratory pathogens, leveraging their existing infrastructure for broader public health response.

Influenza surveillance on Borneo: A One Health imperative

Strengthening influenza surveillance in Brunei Darussalam also has wider significance for Borneo Island. Shared by Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Indonesia, Borneo Island is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world hosting a range of wildlife species, including migratory and resident birds and mammals that can serve as reservoirs for influenza viruses and other emerging pathogens.

In such settings, robust influenza surveillance acts as an early warning system at the human–animal–environment interface, where shifts in land use, biodiversity loss and increased human–animal contact heighten the risk of zoonotic spillover. The NIC also plays a critical role here in supporting rapid public health action before outbreaks escalate across borders.

Brunei Darussalam’s NIC contributes to this One Health approach, which recognizes that human health is closely interconnected with animal health and environmental conditions. By integrating high-quality laboratory surveillance with regional and global influenza networks, the NIC also strengthens collective capacity on Borneo Island to monitor viral evolution, share data transparently and respond to threats that may originate beyond national boundaries.

In this context, Brunei Darussalam’s recognition as a National Influenza Centre is not only a national achievement, but also a strategic contribution to safeguarding health security across Borneo and the wider Western Pacific Region.

Since 2007, WHO has convened annual bi-regional NIC meetings to foster collaboration among influenza surveillance network members and ensure that evidence-based strategies are developed and implemented across the Asia-Pacific Region. By providing a platform for experts to share biological materials, diagnostic reagents and vaccine seeds, the network ensures that the benefits of science are shared equitably.

As the world continues to navigate the complexities of infectious diseases, such milestones provide a blueprint for how national commitment and international cooperation can safeguard people and ecosystems.