BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has introduced a five-year plan to enhance worldwide outbreak monitoring. The initiative seeks to enable every nation to identify and comprehend emerging health dangers within 24 hours by 2030. The strategy was unveiled during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, with WHO emphasizing that quicker detection can facilitate earlier public health responses before outbreaks escalate across communities or borders. Establishing a 24-hour detection goal provides a definitive global benchmark for surveillance capabilities.
Led by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, the work will be driven from Berlin through the 2026 to 2030 strategy. Since opening in 2021 with foundational support from the German government, the Hub has addressed weaknesses revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It now collaborates with over 160 WHO Member States and 190 partner organizations and networks. Its activities encompass surveillance, pathogen detection, data analysis, and international cooperation on emerging health threats. The Hub functions as part of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the Hub has become integral to the global health security system since its inception. The new strategy outlines four primary objectives: strengthening surveillance, accelerating detection, improving data analysis, and establishing trusted digital foundations. WHO explained that the program will connect governments, public health agencies, scientists, and technology experts. The organization intends to build upon existing systems and broaden access to tools for rapid threat assessment. Emphasis is also placed on transforming health data into actionable information to inform public health decisions.
Five key initiatives form the foundation of the strategy
The plan will be implemented through five interconnected initiatives, focusing on open-source intelligence, pathogen surveillance, modeling, national monitoring, and digital infrastructure. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources employs artificial intelligence to scan thousands of public sources daily for potential health threats. WHO reports that this system supports more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations. Its global EIOS community includes over 4,000 experts who assist in detecting and assessing health threats. The platform allows participating authorities to access real-time information from publicly available sources.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network enhances genomic sequencing and bioinformatics capacity to identify and analyze emerging pathogens. Tedros noted that the network now involves nearly 360 partners across over 110 countries. The Collaboratory links more than 2,000 modeling and data science specialists who can aid responses when new threats arise. The Collaborative Surveillance Initiative operates in over 83 countries, supporting national institutions through a One Health approach. A newly introduced Digital Enablers initiative will focus on secure data sharing, analysis, and responsible artificial intelligence use.
Partnerships in Berlin extended until 2031
The WHO Hub also renewed agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. Since 2021, these organizations have collaborated on surveillance, genomics, data science, and public health preparedness, supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health. These partnerships combine WHO’s international leadership with the institute’s public health expertise and Charité’s clinical and research capabilities. The renewal continues joint efforts that link scientific research with practical public health systems.
WHO states that the 24-hour detection goal is the core ambition of its Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence strategy through 2030. The Hub supports countries in developing systems capable of identifying threats and deepening understanding of outbreak development. Its strategy also calls for stronger digital infrastructure, expanded analytical cooperation, and enhanced pathogen surveillance. WHO will leverage its global networks to bolster national capacities for detecting and evaluating new health threats. The organization affirms that this five-year plan builds upon the first five years of the Hub’s international collaboration efforts.