• morbilli and rubella elimination
• global polio eradication (AFP-surveillance).

   Within the frame of its wide scope of activities as state task, NCE:

• conducted the national technical supervision of communicable diseases;
• controlled the epidemiological microbiological diagnostic tasks from technical-methodological aspects;
• performed the examination of highly dangerous pathogens in the National Safety Laboratory (BSL3-4). With the activities of its National  Reference Laboratories, NCE as Reference Centre supported the activities of the microbiological laboratories in Hungary;
• performed - as new task based on the Resolution 2000/96 EK- the surveillance and diagnostics of notifiable and new diseases (West-Nile- and Chikungunya-fever);
• operated:
  • the National Drug Focal Point,
  • the National Nosocomial Surveillance System,
  • the microbiological data basis for monitoring of antimicrobial resistance of pathogens,
  • the International Travellers Health and Vaccination Centre
• planned, evaluated and supervised the national immunisation system having international recognition;
• made recommendation for the preparedness of epidemiological emergency situation (influenza epidemic, pandemic, bioterrorism); and
• maintained and continuously extended the Hungarian National Strain Collection of Medical Bacteria and the National Virus Strain Bank where the animal pathogens dangerous for the humans were also included.

   In 2009, an extreme economical "disciplined" management was characteristic that made possible a very careful, reduced operation, measures regarding both material and human resources. Despite of the financial restrictions, the basic resources for operation could be provided through tenders, entrepreneurial contracts.
   As the result of the successful preparations of the accredited laboratories, the National Board of Accreditation confirmed the accredited status of three units of Division of Virology and five units of Division of Bacteriology, Mycology, Parasitology and Typing and of the wide spectrum of activities performed by the Microbiological Research Group, Department of QC Viral Vaccines and Department of Disinfection, and of the traditional and the up to date serological (e.g. ELIZA) molecular (PCR,-RT-PCR) tests.
   In 2009, the following achievements are particularly valuable:

• Our National Reference Laboratories achieved excellent results in the international collaborative studies.
• The Department of Quality Control together with the Reference Laboratories continued the organization of traditional collaborative tests with the participation of national laboratories, and their results were published by the Heads of Reference Laboratories in the Microbiological Circular.
• The Unit of Culture Medium with ISO qualification is the largest productive unit among the NCEs Departments/Laboratories that produced 675 medium types in a quantity of 21% higher than in the previous year for the Regional Institutes of NPHMOS and several other customers.
• With our colleagues contribution, the weekly "Epinfo", the monthly "Droginfo" and the quarterly "Mikrobiológiai körlevél" (Microbiological Circular) were published in addition to the preparation of many public guides and posters.
• The international epidemiological situation was followed through the web-site of EWRS and IHR rapid response system. We informed the decision-makers about the important foreign epidemiological events. After adequate checking, the national epidemiological events with international significance were reported to the international organizations, focusing on influenza pandemic from May.
• Weekly, the staff in the Department of Epidemiology prepared detailed information on the national epidemiological situation. Quarterly, they published the reported data on HIV/AIDS and STDs on the home pages of OCMO and NCE and in the "Epinfo".
• We operated the influenza surveillance. We prepared and organized the distribution of 1 million and 300 thousand doses of free seasonal influenza vaccine and of  4 million doses of Fluval P vaccine.
• We published the "Methodological Letter for Immunisation" for 2010. We supervised and evaluated the fulfilment of continuous and campaign vaccinations by age.
• It was a great challenge to organize the voluntary and free vaccination against pneomococcus for the children under two years; it was included in the continuous vaccination schedule.
• We supervised the suspected cases of bio-terrorism and made risk assessment and testing for 83 parcels with suspicion for anthrax.
• The so-called "Report Support Program" was setup in March, 2009. It provided the inclusion of microbiological reports electronically forwarded into the EFRIR system, replacing the manual data recording.
• The "Meteorological Team" gave continuous assistance for the preparations for the accreditation and their operation constituted significant cost-saving for the Centre.

   Within the field of professional primary and further education, the following facts should be stressed:

• Six professional days and three national conferences were organized for the epidemiologists in the Regional Institutes of NPHMOS, and a national training was held for the public health controllers.
• One-week, organized further training was held three times, with a title of "Investigation of Outbreaks".
• Within the frame of "Week of Virology", one-week, mandatory facultative training for credit point was held two times. Specialists, MDs, microbiologists from the whole country attended this training to brush up their knowledge and to receive up to date information.
• Our new scientific results were introduced within the training course called "Day of Virology" and providing credit point.
• It was our young colleagues' initiative to organize a professional forum with a title of "Tea Break" as a forum for presentations and discussion.
• The scientific meeting organized within the "Influenza Day" excited an especially great interest for the pandemic situation; within this programme, the memorial plaque in Professor Dr. István Dömök's honour was unveiled, and the exhibition from the kept relics, instruments and documents was opened.
• The Centre managed the organization of Conference of Immunization (Eger), the National Workshop for Epidemiologists (Balatonvilágos), and the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (Budapest).

   The NCE's special professional tasks and their importance have increased recently; the determination of goals related to epidemiological safety that became topical issue for the declaration of pandemic required serious professional preparations, therefore. All these special tasks, the epidemiological work due to inland waters and floods, the challenge of bio-terrorism, the influenza pandemic, the hospital outbreaks, the emerging and re-emerging communicable diseases could be managed effectively only through rapid response.

   For the ability of rapid response and the exercising of professional independence ensured in the Deed of Foundation, the National Center for Epidemiology would need financial independence. This and the proposals for the cost-effective conditions of professional activity and the drafted structural change have been submitted to the decision-makers and the superior organs upon a great number of occasions.
   All members of the Centre's staff satisfied the increasingly widening scope of demands with their professional knowledge and conscientious works every day of the year without the staff and resource increase.

Dr. Márta Melles
Director-General