BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has announced a goal for nations to recognize and analyze new health threats within 24 hours by 2030. This objective is at the core of a newly unveiled five-year plan for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, introduced during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The strategy emphasizes earlier detection of outbreaks, enhanced surveillance methods, and quicker analysis of health data. It spans the years from 2026 to 2030.
The WHO Pandemic Hub was established in Berlin in 2021, in response to significant gaps exposed in global disease monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The German government provided essential initial support for this initiative. Since then, the Hub has collaborated with over 160 WHO Member States and roughly 190 partner organizations and networks. Its work involves uniting public health agencies, researchers, and technical experts to exchange data, monitor pathogens, and enhance systems for early epidemic detection. WHO oversees the Hub through its broader Health Emergencies Programme.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the Hub has become an integral part of the global health security framework since its inception. The 2030 strategy outlines goals for surveillance, outbreak detection, data analysis, and digital infrastructure. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation among countries and scientific institutions. The Hub plans to develop tools that enable health authorities to evaluate emerging risks more swiftly. WHO notes that this strategy builds upon lessons learned during the Hub’s first five years and provides countries with a shared benchmark for outbreak intelligence.
International networks bolster rapid detection capabilities
Support for the new strategy comes from five major initiatives. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources scans public information for signals that could indicate emerging health risks. This system employs artificial intelligence to analyze large datasets from publicly available sources. WHO reports that over 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations utilize the platform. Its EIOS community includes more than 4,000 experts. The system assists health authorities in locating, reviewing, and evaluating information that may require further public health action.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network centers on genomic sequencing and bioinformatics, now involving nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects over 2,000 specialists in modeling and data science. Additionally, the Collaborative Surveillance Initiative supports efforts in more than 83 countries through a One Health approach. WHO also intends to expand digital tools via a new initiative dedicated to secure data sharing and responsible artificial intelligence. These programs form the operational backbone of the 2026 to 2030 strategy.
Partnerships in Berlin to extend until 2031
The Hub has renewed cooperation agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin until 2031. These partnerships encompass public health surveillance, pathogen genomics, artificial intelligence, and data science. The organizations have been collaborating with WHO since the early years of the Berlin-based Hub. Their joint efforts blend international health coordination with Germany’s national research and public health expertise. The German Federal Ministry of Health has supported these collaborations. The renewed agreements ensure the continuation of a Berlin-centered network dedicated to research, analysis, and preparedness activities.
WHO emphasizes that its 24-hour detection target will steer the Hub’s activities through the end of this decade. The organization aims for countries to identify threats rapidly and develop a more comprehensive understanding of how new outbreaks evolve. The strategy also calls for improved digital systems and expanded access to pathogen intelligence. WHO will maintain its efforts to connect national authorities with scientists and international partners via existing networks. The Hub’s 2030 plan prioritizes quick detection, shared data, and practical public health analysis as key elements of global epidemic readiness.