WHO/Europe has designated the Centre for Health and Infectious Disease Research (CHIP), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark as a WHO Collaborating Centre on HIV, HIV/Tuberculosis (TB) co-infection and viral hepatitis. The new centre will support WHO/Europe and Member States to strengthen public health responses to these diseases, as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with a focus on translating evidence into practice and accelerating progress towards regional targets.
“WHO collaborating centres contribute to regional health security by extending the World Health Organization's technical capacity, providing specialized expertise, and strengthening institutional capabilities in countries and across the regions,” said Ihor Perehinets, Health Security and Regional Emergency Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe. “This centre will confront the challenges of HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis through systematic and targeted activities, making the whole Region safer.”
Current situation
A total of 105 922 HIV diagnoses were reported in the WHO European Region in 2024, bringing cumulative diagnoses since the 1980s to 2.68 million. However, the estimated number of new infections in the same year is placed at 160,000, exceeding the number of diagnoses, and indicating a growing number of people living with undiagnosed HIV. 51 000 HIV-related deaths occurred in the WHO European Region during this period.
Additionally, an estimated 10.6 million people are living with hepatitis B in the WHO European Region (2022), yet only 15.7% are diagnosed, and just 1.9% receive treatment. Around 32 000 deaths occur each year, reflecting major gaps in testing, links to care and access to antiviral therapy. Approximately 8.6 million people are living with hepatitis C in the Region (2022), with 29% of cases diagnosed, 9% treated and about 21 000 deaths annually. Each year among people aged 15–49, an estimated 23 million cases of four curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur. Surveillance gaps remain significant, with the latest regional estimates dating back to 2020.
What the collaborating centre will do
The collaborating centre’s designation comes as the WHO European Region continues to pursue its elimination goals. In February 2026, WHO certified Denmark as the first country in the European Region to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis—an important milestone that demonstrates what is possible when strong health systems, timely testing and treatment, and sustained political commitment come together.
Over the four-year designation period, the centre will assist WHO/Europe to:
- build the capacity of the health workforce in Member States in the context of their response to HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STIs;
- facilitate access to HIV, viral hepatitis and STI testing across the WHO European Region;
- strengthen Member State capacity in implementation and operational research on HIV, TB and viral hepatitis;
- optimize national biomedical prevention programmes for HIV, viral hepatitis, TB and STIs.
“CHIP is proud to be designated WHO collaborating Centre on HIV/Tuberculosis Co-Infection and Viral Hepatitis and committed to continue to work towards strengthening research to inform policy implementation across the European continent. Public health continues to face significant challenges, and we remain committed to supporting efforts that strengthen health across the region”, said Ms Dorthe Raben who leads the centre, alongside Professor Jens Lundgren.
CHIP has a long track-record of collaborating with stakeholders in policy, research and community to ensure buy-in for evidence-based solutions to the challenges related to infectious diseases, and their integration in the WHO European Region.
“At a time when the European Region faces persistent and intersecting challenges across HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections, the designation of this new WHO Collaborating Centre comes at a critical moment,” said Stela Bivol, Regional Adviser HIV Viral Hepatitis STIs. “Its expertise will significantly strengthen countries’ capacity to build a skilled health workforce, expand access to testing, optimize biomedical prevention programmes and advance implementation and operational research. This collaboration will help accelerate progress towards ending these epidemics as public health threats.”