WHO targets 24-hour detection of emerging health threats by 2030

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set a target for every country to detect and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours by 2030, under a new five-year strategy for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.

The strategy, launched on October 12, 2026, aims to strengthen countries’ ability to identify outbreaks early and prevent them from escalating into epidemics or pandemics.

Speaking at the opening of the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the Hub had become an important part of the global health security system since its establishment five years ago.

He said the new strategy would bring governments and partners together to ensure countries can respond to health threats before they develop into major crises.

Established in 2021 with support from the German Government, the Hub was created following gaps in global preparedness exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, it has worked with 160 WHO Member States and 190 partner organisations, alongside thousands of scientists and policymakers, to identify emerging epidemic threats and support timely responses.

The new strategy will focus on five major initiatives to improve disease surveillance and outbreak detection worldwide.

One of the initiatives, Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS), uses artificial intelligence to scan thousands of publicly available sources daily for signs of potential health threats. The system is used by more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organisations.

Another initiative, the International Pathogen Surveillance Network, supports genomic sequencing and bioinformatics to help scientists identify emerging pathogens and accelerate the development of diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccines.

The Hub will also strengthen collaboration among more than 2,000 modelling and data science experts through its collaboratory, enabling specialists to be mobilised when new health threats emerge.

Meanwhile, its Collaborative Surveillance Initiative, implemented in more than 83 countries, supports national institutions and health workers in detecting threats through a One Health approach, which recognises the connection between human, animal and environmental health.

The fifth initiative, Digital Enablers for Public Health Intelligence, will develop secure digital systems to help countries share and analyse health data while promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

According to WHO, achieving the 2030 target will require sustained investment, trusted partnerships and cooperation across countries and sector.

The organisation said strengthening early detection would help countries take action before outbreaks spread, reducing the risk of major public health emergencies.