BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has introduced a five-year initiative aimed at enhancing worldwide outbreak monitoring capabilities. The objective is for every nation to identify and comprehend new health risks within 24 hours by 2030. This strategy was revealed by WHO during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The organization emphasized that quicker detection can enable earlier public health responses, preventing outbreaks from spreading across communities or borders. The 24-hour detection target establishes a definitive global benchmark for surveillance efforts.
Leading this effort is the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which will implement the strategy from Berlin from 2026 to 2030. Established in 2021 with initial support from the German government following vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hub now collaborates with over 160 WHO Member States and 190 partner organizations and networks. Its scope includes surveillance, pathogen detection, data analysis, and international cooperation on emerging health threats. The Hub functions as a component of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that since its inception, the Hub has become integral to the global health security system. The new strategy outlines four key objectives: enhanced surveillance, quicker detection, improved analysis, and reliable digital infrastructure. WHO plans to connect governments, public health agencies, scientists, and technology experts through this initiative. The organization intends to build on existing systems while broadening access to tools for rapid threat evaluation. An emphasis is placed on transforming health data into actionable information to inform public health decisions.
Five core initiatives underpin the strategy
The strategy will be executed via five interconnected initiatives that focus on open-source intelligence, pathogen monitoring, modeling, national surveillance, and digital infrastructure. The Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources system leverages artificial intelligence to scan thousands of public sources daily for potential health threats. WHO reports that more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations utilize this system. Its global community, EIOS, includes over 4,000 experts who support health threat detection and assessment. The platform grants participating authorities access to real-time information from publicly available sources.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network enhances capabilities in genomic sequencing and bioinformatics, aiding in the identification and understanding of emerging pathogens. Tedros noted that the network now involves nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory links over 2,000 modeling and data science specialists capable of supporting responses to new threats. The Collaborative Surveillance Initiative operates in more than 83 countries and employs a One Health approach to strengthen national institutions. Additionally, a new Digital Enablers initiative will focus on secure data sharing, analysis, and responsible artificial intelligence use.
Partnerships extended with Berlin institutions through 2031
The WHO Hub has renewed agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. Since 2021, these collaborations have focused on surveillance, genomics, data science, and public health preparedness, supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health. These partnerships blend WHO’s international role with the institute’s public health expertise and Charité’s clinical and research strengths. The renewed agreements sustain joint efforts that link scientific research to practical public health systems.
According to WHO, the 24-hour detection target remains the central goal of its Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence strategy through 2030. The Hub’s role is to assist countries in developing systems capable of identifying threats and gaining a better understanding of outbreak dynamics. The strategy also calls for improved digital infrastructure, expanded analytical cooperation, and enhanced pathogen surveillance. WHO intends to leverage its global networks to bolster national capacities for detecting and evaluating new health threats. The five-year plan builds upon the first five years of international collaboration led by the Hub.