AIIMS-Delhi designated as WHO network site for pandemic preparedness
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New Delhi (PTI): AIIMS, Delhi has now become one of the WHO global network sites for pandemic preparedness and emergency response under the Global Influenza Surveillance And Response System (GISRS).
The World Health Organisation (WHO), during the Covid crisis, had started the global network of Unity Study sites which conducts investigations and studies rapidly in the event of a pandemic, or epidemic of an emerging or re-emerging pathogen.
The network will ensure response readiness for rapid evaluation of critical tools to supplement routine surveillance systems to address specific questions, particularly in the early stages of a pandemic or an epidemic, Dr Puneet Misra, Professor of Community Medicine at AIIMS, said.
Unity Studies are standardization research protocol developed by WHO that may be implemented during inter pandemic period as well as any future pandemic of respiratory pathogen, Dr Misra explained.
The Unity Study protocols aim to rapidly gather evidence to facilitate evidence-based public health policy. These protocols advocate standardized and uniform method of data collection on epidemiological exposure, and collection of biological specimens, he said.
"This approach permits rapid sharing of data in a format that can be easily aggregated, tabulated and analysed across many different settings globally for timely public health response," Dr Misra said.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a global public health emergency, he said.
Although the health systems had the experience of dealing with infectious outbreaks and epidemics in past, but at time of Covid, WHO realised the need of generic protocols for standardised data for public health measures at global level to make processes and systems in place to deal with a public health emergency of such magnitude and be alert for any future outbreak, Dr Misra underlined.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that the unity protocol studies added value, and that they could be implemented both in high as well as in low-to-middle income countries.
Within the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEARO), which comprises 11 member countries, only five sites have been selected for establishing Unity Study site.
"AIIMS, Delhi, is privileged and proud to be one of the five sites designated as network site for Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response from the World Health Organization under the leadership of Dr Puneet Misra, Professor of Community Medicine," a statement issued by the hospital said.
Importantly, this centre will continue to function even in non-pandemic periods, contributing to broader public health actions, capacity building, and preparedness activities, ensuring that the systems remain robust and ready to respond effectively whenever needed, the statement added.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
