BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has established a goal for nations to recognize and understand new health threats within 24 hours by 2030. This objective is at the core of a new five-year plan for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which was introduced during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The strategy emphasizes earlier outbreak detection, enhanced surveillance, and more rapid analysis of health data. Its timeline spans from 2026 to 2030.
The WHO Pandemic Hub was launched in Berlin in 2021, in response to significant gaps in global disease monitoring revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The German government provided essential support for this initiative. Since then, the Hub has collaborated with over 160 WHO Member States and approximately 190 partner organizations and networks. Its work involves uniting public health agencies, researchers, and technical specialists to share data, monitor pathogens, and enhance systems for 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 objectives related to surveillance, detection, analysis, and digital infrastructure, while also aiming to strengthen cooperation among countries and scientific institutions. The Hub intends to expand tools that enable health authorities to evaluate emerging risks more swiftly. WHO indicates that the strategy builds upon lessons learned during the Hub’s first five years and provides countries with a shared benchmark for outbreak intelligence.
Global networks bolster quicker outbreak identification
The new strategy will be supported by five major initiatives. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources scans publicly available information for signals indicating potential health threats, utilizing artificial intelligence to process large data volumes from open sources. WHO reports that more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations utilize this platform. Its EIOS community comprises over 4,000 experts. This system helps health authorities locate, review, and evaluate information that might require further public health investigation.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network concentrates on genomic sequencing and bioinformatics, now involving nearly 360 partners across over 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects more than 2,000 modeling and data science experts. Additionally, the Collaborative Surveillance Initiative supports efforts in over 83 countries through a One Health approach. WHO also plans to broaden digital tools via a new initiative focusing on secure data sharing and responsible artificial intelligence. These programs constitute the operational backbone of the 2026 to 2030 strategy.
Partnerships in Berlin to extend through 2031
The Hub has renewed cooperation agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. These partnerships encompass public health surveillance, pathogen genomics, artificial intelligence, and data science. The organizations have been working with WHO since the early days of the Berlin-based Hub. Their collaboration combines international health coordination with national expertise in research and public health. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health has supported this broader partnership, ensuring a Berlin-centered network for research, analysis, and preparedness activities.
WHO states that its 24-hour detection target will steer the Hub’s activities until the end of this decade. The organization aims for countries to identify threats promptly and develop a clearer understanding of how new outbreaks evolve. The strategy also emphasizes strengthening digital systems and expanding access to pathogen intelligence. WHO plans to keep connecting national authorities with scientists and international partners through existing networks. The Hub’s 2030 plan prioritizes rapid detection, shared data, and practical public health analysis as key elements of global epidemic readiness.