BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has introduced a five-year plan aimed at enhancing worldwide outbreak monitoring. The initiative seeks to enable every nation to identify and comprehend emerging health risks within 24 hours by 2030. This strategy was presented during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. According to WHO, quicker detection can facilitate earlier public health interventions before outbreaks spread extensively across communities or borders. The 24-hour target provides a definitive global benchmark for surveillance capabilities.
Leading the effort from Berlin is the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which will implement the strategy from 2026 through 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 noted that the Hub has become a vital element of the global health security framework since its inception. The new strategy emphasizes four main objectives: enhancing surveillance, accelerating detection, improving analysis, and establishing trusted digital infrastructure. WHO states that the program will link governments, public health agencies, scientists, and technology experts. The organization intends to build on existing systems while broadening access to tools for rapid threat evaluation. A key focus of the strategy is transforming health data into actionable insights to inform public health decisions.
Five core initiatives underpin the strategy
The plan will be executed through five interconnected initiatives, covering open-source intelligence, pathogen monitoring, modeling, national surveillance, and digital platforms. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources employs artificial intelligence to scan thousands of public sources daily for potential health threats. WHO reports that over 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations are part of this system. Its global EIOS community consists of more than 4,000 experts supporting health threat detection and evaluation. This platform provides participating authorities with real-time access to publicly available information.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network enhances genomic sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities for identifying and understanding new pathogens. Tedros highlighted that the network now involves nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects more than 2,000 modeling and data science specialists who can assist responses to emerging threats. The Collaborative Surveillance Initiative operates in over 83 countries and supports national institutions through a One Health approach. Additionally, a new Digital Enablers initiative aims to promote secure data sharing, analysis, and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Partnerships in Berlin extended until 2031
The WHO Hub has also renewed agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. These collaborations, ongoing since 2021, focus on surveillance, genomics, data science, and public health preparedness. Supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health, the partnerships combine WHO’s international leadership with the institute’s expertise in public health and Charité’s clinical and research strength. The renewed agreements ensure continued joint efforts to link scientific research with practical public health systems.
WHO emphasizes that the 24-hour detection goal is the key focus of its Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence strategy through 2030. The Hub assists countries in developing systems capable of identifying threats and gaining insights into outbreak progression. Its strategy also calls for enhanced digital infrastructure, expanded analytical cooperation, and improved pathogen surveillance. WHO intends to leverage its global networks to bolster national capacities for detecting and evaluating new health threats. The organization states that this five-year plan builds on the initial five years of the Hub’s international collaboration efforts.