Infection Control and Vaccines

Department of Infection Control and Vaccines is led byAre Stuwitz Berg. The department has 52 employees, including managers. Four employees (department director and other staff with cross-departmental responsibilities) are located in the staff of the department director, while the remaining employees are distributed among the three sections.

• Section for Vaccine Supply is led by Knut Jønsrud
• Section for Respiratory, Bloodborne and Sexually Transmitted Infections 1 is led by Hilde Kløvstad
• Section for Respiratory, Bloodborne and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2 is led by Berit Løkken Finess

The sections for respiratory, bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections share common technical leadership, but have separate personnel management. 

Section for Respiratory, Bloodborne and Sexually Transmitted Infections 1 and 2

The sections share the same technical portfolio and are therefore referred to collectively.

Tasks

• Guidance, surveillance, research and preparedness for infections transmitted between humans through air, blood, or sexual contact.
• Guidance, surveillance, research and preparedness for issues related to vaccines and vaccination, and development of vaccination recommendations.
• Leading the surveillance of respiratory infections and playing a central role in the Norwegian Institute of Public Health's handling of COVID-19.
• Leading vaccination programs: the childhood vaccination program, the influenza vaccination program, and the COVID-19 vaccination program.
• Leading infection control of the tuberculosis control program.

Expertise

Broad expertise in providing guidance on infection control and vaccination, infectious disease epidemiology, and related analytical and methodological expertise. Our employees also have extensive experience in immunology and vaccinology, as well as issues related to attitudes towards infection control measures, including vaccination.

Employees

31 employees across both sections, consisting of senior advisers with different backgrounds, doctors, senior doctors, researchers, and senior researchers, in addition to two section leaders.

Section for Vaccine Supply  

The section is responsible for vaccine supply and preparedness.

Tasks

• Procurement of vaccines to vaccination programmes.
• Procurement of vaccines with marketing authorisation and defined emergency products without marketing authorisation.
• Storage of vaccines, including a rolling emergency stock.
• Distribution of vaccines to child health clinics, the school health service, general practitioners, pharmacies, and wholesalers.

Expertise

Pharmaceutical expertise with a good understanding of drug management related to dispensing, wholesale operations, and cold chain distribution.

Employees

17 employees, including the section leader.