BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has introduced a five-year plan to enhance worldwide outbreak monitoring. This strategy seeks to enable every nation to identify and comprehend emerging health risks within 24 hours by 2030. The WHO revealed the plan during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The organization emphasized that quicker detection allows for earlier public health responses before outbreaks spread widely across communities or borders. The 24-hour target establishes a clear international benchmark for surveillance effectiveness.
Leading this effort is the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which will implement the strategy from Berlin from 2026 to 2030. The Hub, established in 2021 with initial support from the German government after deficiencies exposed during COVID-19, now collaborates with over 160 WHO Member States and 190 partner groups and networks. Its work involves surveillance, pathogen identification, data analysis, and global 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 an integral element of the global health security framework since its inception. The new strategy outlines four key objectives: enhanced surveillance, faster detection, improved data analysis, and reliable digital infrastructure. WHO explained that the initiative will link governments, public health entities, scientists, and technology experts. The organization plans to build on existing systems and expand access to rapid assessment tools. The strategy also aims to transform health data into actionable information to inform public health decisions.
Five core initiatives form the foundation of the strategy
The plan will be executed through five interconnected initiatives. These include 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 this system supports over 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations. Its global EIOS community comprises more than 4,000 experts dedicated to health threat detection and assessment. The platform provides authorities with real-time updates from publicly available sources.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network enhances genomic sequencing and bioinformatics skills for identifying emerging pathogens. Tedros mentioned that the network now includes nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects over 2,000 modeling and data science specialists to support responses to new threats. The Collaborative Surveillance Initiative operates in over 83 countries and supports national agencies via a One Health approach. A newly introduced Digital Enablers initiative will focus on secure data sharing, analysis, and responsible AI use.
Partnerships in Berlin extended through 2031
The WHO Hub has renewed collaborations with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. Since 2021, these organizations have jointly worked on surveillance, genomics, data science, and public health preparedness. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health has supported this ongoing partnership. The collaborations combine WHO’s global role with the institute’s expertise in public health and Charité’s clinical and research strengths. The renewed agreements continue to link scientific research with practical public health systems.
WHO states that the 24-hour detection goal is the core aim of its Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence strategy through 2030. The Hub supports nations in developing systems capable of identifying threats and understanding outbreak patterns. The strategy also calls for stronger digital infrastructure, broader analytical collaboration, and enhanced pathogen surveillance. WHO will leverage its global networks to help countries improve their capacity to detect and evaluate new health threats. The organization notes that this five-year plan builds upon the first five years of the Hub’s international cooperation efforts.