The World Health Organization has launched a five-year strategy for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. The goal is to help every country detect and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours by 2030. This rapid detection is key to global health security and preventing outbreaks from becoming larger epidemics. As the United Nations’ agency for health, WHO connects nations, partners, and people in over 150 locations, leading global responses to health emergencies, preventing disease, and expanding access to medicines and care.
A Global Network for Rapid Response
The Hub’s strategy focuses on equipping countries with the tools and partnerships needed to identify and respond to health threats quickly. Since its creation in 2021 with foundational support from the German Government, the Hub has addressed critical gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has collaborated with 160 WHO Member States, 190 partner organizations, and thousands of scientists and policymakers to detect threats, sequence pathogens, and protect communities worldwide.
Speaking at the World Health Summit in Berlin, in the presence of Germany’s Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health, Georg Kippels, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the Hub’s achievements. He stated, “Five years after its establishment, the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence has become an integral part of the global health security system.” He emphasized its role in uniting governments and partners toward a shared goal: enabling every country to respond rapidly to health threats before they escalate into crises.
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Five Priority Initiatives
The Hub’s new strategy includes five priority initiatives to achieve its goals:
- Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS): Uses artificial intelligence to scan thousands of public sources daily, identifying potential health threats. It has a global community of over 4,000 experts and is used by 125 Member States and 30 regional organizations. This real-time monitoring ensures early detection of signals that could indicate emerging threats.
- International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN): Strengthens genomic sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities to identify and understand emerging pathogens, accelerating the development of tests, treatments, and vaccines. This initiative is key for rapid response to new diseases.
- The Collaboratory: Connects over 2,000 experts in modelling and data science who can be rapidly mobilized during new threats. Their expertise ensures data-driven decision-making in crisis situations.
- Collaborative Surveillance Initiative: Implemented in 83 countries, it supports national institutions and workforces in detecting health threats through a One Health approach. This initiative supports interdisciplinary collaboration to address health risks at their source.
- Digital Enablers for Public Health Intelligence Initiative: A new program developing secure digital systems for data sharing and analysis, while promoting responsible artificial intelligence adoption. It ensures countries can leverage technology while maintaining data privacy and security.
This ambitious strategy reflects a growing recognition of the need for proactive and coordinated global health efforts. Past outbreaks, like COVID-19, have highlighted the devastating consequences of delayed detection and response. The Hub’s focus on rapid identification and collaboration aims to prevent such scenarios in the future.
The WHO’s commitment to science-based solutions and global equity is further showed by its leadership in campaigns like World Health Day 2026, themed “Together for health. Stand with science.” This year-long initiative emphasizes science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being worldwide, aligning with the Hub’s mission to safeguard global health through innovation and collaboration.
