BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has introduced a five-year plan aimed at bolstering global outbreak detection capabilities. This initiative aspires for each nation to identify and analyze new health threats within 24 hours by 2030. The strategy was unveiled at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. WHO explained that quicker detection enables earlier public health responses, potentially preventing outbreaks from spreading across communities or borders. Establishing a 24-hour detection benchmark provides a clear global standard for surveillance performance.
Leading this effort from Berlin is the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which will implement its strategy from 2026 to 2030. Founded in 2021 with initial support from the German government following vulnerabilities revealed 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 risks. The Hub operates as a component of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the Hub has become integral to the global health security framework since its inception. The new strategy outlines four key objectives: enhancing surveillance, accelerating detection, improving analysis, and establishing trusted digital foundations. WHO emphasized that the program will facilitate connections among governments, public health agencies, scientists, and technology specialists. The organization plans to build upon existing systems while broadening access to tools for rapid threat evaluation. Additionally, the strategy underscores transforming health data into actionable information to inform public health decisions.
Five core initiatives underpin the strategy
The strategy will be implemented through five interconnected initiatives focusing on open-source intelligence, pathogen surveillance, modeling, national surveillance, and digital infrastructure. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources harnesses artificial intelligence to analyze 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 includes more than 4,000 experts dedicated to health threat detection and evaluation. The platform enables participating authorities to access real-time information from publicly available sources.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network enhances capabilities in genomic sequencing and bioinformatics to identify and understand emerging pathogens. Tedros highlighted that the network now involves nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects over 2,000 modeling and data science specialists who can assist responses when new threats arise. The Collaborative Surveillance Initiative operates in more than 83 countries and supports national agencies through a One Health approach. Meanwhile, a new Digital Enablers initiative will focus on secure data sharing, analysis, and the responsible application of artificial intelligence.
Partnerships in Berlin extended through 2031
The WHO Hub has also renewed agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin until 2031. These organizations have collaborated since 2021 on surveillance, genomics, data science, and public health preparedness. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health has supported this partnership throughout. The alliances merge WHO’s international leadership with the institute’s expertise in public health and Charité’s clinical and research strengths. The renewed agreements continue joint efforts to connect scientific research with practical public health systems.
WHO affirms that the 24-hour detection target remains the central focus of its Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence strategy through 2030. The Hub assists countries in establishing systems capable of identifying threats and gaining a deeper understanding of outbreak development. Its strategy also advocates for stronger 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 organization states that this five-year plan builds upon the first five years of the Hub’s international collaboration efforts.