IPH Functions

• National RESEARCH Center in Public Health
  
• National TRAINING & EDUCATION Center in Public Health
  
• National TECHNICAL EXPERTISE Center in Public Health
  
• National REFERENCE Center in Public Health
  
• National Operational Center in Public Health
  
• National Center of Quality and Safety Control of Public Health Laboratories
  
• National Center of HEALTH EDUCATION AND PROMOTION
  
• National Regulatory Authority Center of vaccines
  
  

Infectious diseases epidemiology and control:
main achievements and ongoing targets

• Statutory Disease-Based Surveillance System
  
• Statutory Syndrome-Based (Alert) Surveillance System
  
• Statutory AFP/Polio Case-Based Surveillance System
  
• Statutory Measles-Rubella Case-Based Surveillance System
  
• Albania in epidemiological situation (from 1997 on) of indigenous poliomyelitis elimination (officially licensed by WHO, June 2003)
  
• Albania in epidemiological phase of Measles and Rubella elimination, according to the respective WHOtargets for the European Region
  
• Continuously maintaining vaccination coverage rates of >95% at national/district/capillary levels for all vaccine-preventable diseases of our statutory vaccination calendar (EPI Programme)
  
• Introduction (pilot phase) of Hepatitis Case-Based Surveillance System
  

• Introduction of Hib vaccine (by 2004) and Mumps (MMR) vaccine by 2005 in Albania’s statutory vaccination calendar
  
• Timely detection of any eventual epidemiological outbreak in order to timely undertake the proper control and prevention measures
  
• Enhancing the proper ISTs’ statutory surveillance system (HIV/AIDS/ISTs)
  
• Enhancing and monitoring laboratory standardizeddiagnosis methodology (including private labs along with the public health ones) throughout the country
  
• Maximizing the reporting rate of laboratory confirmed case in the statutory disease-based surveillance system
  
• Enhancing technical collaboration with all Balkans’ countries concerning infectious diseases surveillance in the framework of the respective Stability Pact’s target (initiated from Albania and approved and supported by WHO)
  
• Enhancing technical bilateral collaborative partnership in various issues of infectious diseases epidemiology and control with each Balkans’ country

Non-infectious diseases Epidemiology: main achievements and ongoing targets

• Enhancing the identifying and monitoring of risk determinants of main chronic non-infectious diseases/conditions in Albanian population and quantifying the respective cause-effect relationship; obtaining the epidemiological mapping and performing the proper control and preventive measures
  
• Setting up the medium- and long-term strategy of the main non-infectious diseases/conditions prevention through scientifically based intervention and control approaches
  
• Implementing the compiled medium-term (2003-2007) strategy on Drug Demand Reduction in Albania
  
• Further enhancing epidemiological studies onFamily Health (mother & child and elderly people)

Health Information / Biostatistics

• Data-base of demographic data and indicators and their ongoing GIS mapping
  
• Data-base of environmental health indicators and their ongoing GIS mapping
  
• Data-base of reproductive health (mother and child health) indicators and their ongoing GIS mapping
  
• Data-base of monitoring of risk determinants of environmental and occupational health and their ongoing
• GIS mapping
  
• Data-base of monitoring of risk determinants of the main non-infectious diseases and their ongoing GIS mapping
  
• Data-base of nutritional epidemiology
  
• Data-base of all other health indicators and health economics issues