The World Health Organisation has commended Malaysia's tackling of the first wave of influenza A (H1N1) and is confident that it will do just as well in containing a second wave.

WHO director-general Dr Margaret Chan said while many countries, including China, Japan, Europe and Central Asia, were reaching their peak in the outbreak of the second wave, the situation in Malaysia remained under control and well managed.

Dr Chan also gave the assurance that the vaccine for the flu, similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine that had been used in the past 50 years, was safe.

With more than 30 million people worldwide already given with vaccines produced by 25 manufacturers around the globe, she said clinical trials and campaigns showed that one dose could provide adequate protection against the virus.

WHO, she said, would remain vigilant and be on the lookout for rare side-effects of the vaccine, although at the moment only "acceptable and expected" side- effects, including injection sores and aches, had been reported.

"China, for instance, started its massive vaccination by late September with 1.5 million people a week immunised.

"If that (number of side-effects) is the kind of scale that we are seeing, the side-effects in total are very low," she said at the opening of the WHO Global Service Centre by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Also present was Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Dr Chan said Malaysia was selected to host the centre in Cyberjaya after outbidding many other countries in the region.

Dr Chan said Malaysia beat many other contending countries as WHO took into consideration the capacity of the country, commitment of the government as well as the people's level of skill, work ethics and education.

At the same press conference, Muhyiddin said Malaysia could extend the same services to other international organisations and private sectors as well as other UN agencies.

The WHO Global Service Centre serves to process administrative transactions such as payroll, procurement and human resources for the organisation headquarters in Geneva, six regional offices and 147 country offices around the world.