The Ministry of Health Protection and Medical Industry hosted the award ceremony of the certificate of the World Health Organization proving the status of National Influenza Centre given to reference virology laboratory of the Centre of Public Health and Nutrition with inclusion to the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. The certificate was handed over by the Head of the country office of this organization Mrs Paulina Karwowska. Heads and representatives of medical facilities, mass media as well as students and lecturers of Turkmen State Medical University took part in the ceremony. It was mentioned that level of development of public health protection is one of the main indicators of life quality of the population in any country, efficiency of its government model and social policy. The State Health Programme has become nation-wide long-term project in this sphere in Turkmenistan. Since time the programme was initiated, numerous integrated measures have been taken, among which re-orientation of health protection sphere to enforcement of work on prevention of diseases, making of conditions for formation and stimulation of healthy life style, improvement of health education and control of bad habits, development of physical training and sports are worth to be mentioned. International certificates on elimination of number of infectious diseases in the country as well as the fact that practice of Turkmen medics in this sphere was recommended for use in the countries of European region of the World Health Organization are undisputable recognition of success of Turkmenistan in solution of objectives for health protection of the population. Systematic work for prevention and diagnostic of influenza virus, control of its spread according to international standards has been arranged in Turkmenistan with support of the WHO European regional bureau. Award of the status of National Influenza Centre to reference virology laboratory of the Centre of Public Health and Nutrition, which is a part of the State Sanitary and Epidemiology Service of Turkmenistan, is an evidence of high appraisal of activity in this sphere by the WHO. Head of the WHO Country office Paulina Karwowska noted that Turkmenistan demonstrates commitment to the principles of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System. Particularly, the country successfully implements Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework, which was adopted at the 64th session of the World Health Protection Assembly in 2011; it has achieved big results in epidemiology control and laboratory studies of influenza. Mrs Krwowska has also expressed the confidence that the WHO and Turkmenistan would continue improving partnership in health protection sphere and National Influenza Centre would deservingly fulfil all obligation related to its new status.