The World Health Organization (WHO) has published the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence Strategy 2026–2030, setting out a new global ambition for faster detection, assessment and management of emerging health threats. 1791872628903
At the centre of the strategy is a clear aspiration: to detect and understand a new health threat within 24 hours of its emergence. 1791872628903
Why WHO Is Strengthening Public Health Intelligence
WHO describes public health intelligence as the first line of protection against health threats, enabling earlier detection and providing decision-makers with the information needed to act. 1791872628903
The strategy responds to an environment in which infectious disease outbreaks, conflicts, natural disasters, climate pressures and other emergencies increasingly overlap.
WHO notes that these threats are becoming more interconnected and harder to detect and manage, particularly where surveillance systems remain fragmented or under-resourced. 1791872628903
A Global Network
Since its establishment in 2021, the WHO Hub has expanded into a global network involving more than 160 Member States and 190 partners. 1791872628903
The Hub aims to use this network to strengthen collaboration between governments, public health agencies, researchers, technology partners and international organisations.
Four Strategic Objectives
The strategy defines four objectives that will guide the Hub’s work through 2030.
1. Stronger Public Health Surveillance Systems
The Hub will support countries in strengthening governance, capabilities and competencies for more agile and resilient disease surveillance.
WHO emphasises that effective surveillance systems must be built before a crisis, not during one. 1791872628903
2. Faster Detection Through Innovation
WHO plans to expand the use of technologies that can improve early detection.
These include:
AI-enabled scanning;
faster diagnostic testing;
genomic sequencing;
laboratory intelligence;
open-source intelligence.
The strategy stresses that innovation only creates value when technologies are widely accessible and integrated into connected public health systems. 1791872628903
3. Better Decisions Through Analytics
The Hub wants decision-makers to routinely use trends, projections and scenarios for preparedness, response planning and outbreak management.
This includes making analytical tools easier to use and presenting complex information in ways that support rapid operational decisions. 1791872628903
4. Trusted Digital Foundations
The fourth objective focuses on creating connected and responsibly governed digital systems.
WHO highlights challenges including:
fragmented datasets;
limited interoperability;
inconsistent data formats;
unclear governance arrangements.
The Hub intends to promote common standards and more secure information exchange across sectors and borders. 1791872628903
AI as a Core Capability
Artificial intelligence features prominently in the strategy.
WHO notes that AI can help turn large volumes of information into early warning signals, connect previously incompatible datasets and support interpretation of complex health risks. 1791872628903
AI will also play a role in the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) initiative, which analyses publicly available information to identify and assess emerging health threats.
WHO plans to continue expanding AI-based signal detection, analysis and risk assessment within EIOS. 1791872628903
Genomic Surveillance and Pathogen Detection
The strategy also places strong emphasis on genomic intelligence.
Through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN), WHO aims to strengthen the integration of:
diagnostic innovation;
genomic sequencing;
bioinformatics;
pathogen surveillance.
The goal is to help countries rapidly identify, confirm and understand emerging infectious diseases. 1791872628903
Five Core Initiatives
The Hub will deliver its strategy through five interconnected initiatives:
Collaborative Surveillance;
Public Health Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS);
The Collaboratory;
International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN);
Digital Enablers for Public Health Intelligence. 1791872628903
According to the strategy, these initiatives collectively strengthen surveillance, technology, analytics, digital infrastructure and international partnerships.
Collaborative Surveillance
Collaborative Surveillance is intended to connect capabilities across different health threats, sectors, geographies and timeframes.
The Hub states that it has already worked with more than 120 countries and partners to develop a common framework for stronger surveillance.
By 2030, WHO wants Collaborative Surveillance to become a global standard supported by sustainable investment and national ownership. 1791872628903
Open-Source Intelligence
The EIOS initiative uses publicly available information to identify signals of emerging health risks.
It currently supports more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organisations.
By 2030, WHO aims for EIOS to become a trusted global public health intelligence initiative combining broad information sources, advanced analytics, AI and an international expert community. 1791872628903
Digital Enablers
The strategy also recognises that future public health intelligence will depend on strong digital foundations.
WHO plans to strengthen the ability of countries to securely:
connect data;
share information;
analyse datasets;
adopt trusted AI;
deploy new technologies.
By 2030, the goal is for every country to benefit from advances in public health intelligence technology. 1791872628903
Collaboration as a Strategic Capability
WHO stresses that no single organisation can build the next generation of public health intelligence alone.
The Hub therefore positions itself as:
a convener of partners;
a mobiliser of expertise and resources;
a catalyst for innovation. 1791872628903
This model is intended to connect governments, national public health agencies, academia, technology companies, funders and international organisations around shared priorities.
Public Health Intelligence in 2030
By 2030, WHO expects countries to be better able to detect and understand health threats within hours rather than days.
The future system described in the strategy combines:
open-source intelligence;
laboratory data;
genomic data;
advanced analytics;
artificial intelligence;
connected digital infrastructure;
international cooperation. 1791872628903
Success will ultimately be measured by whether emerging threats are detected earlier, understood faster and managed before they escalate into crises.
Impact on Healthcare and Life Sciences
Although the strategy is focused on public health intelligence, it also has broader implications for the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem.
Faster detection of emerging pathogens can support earlier development of:
diagnostics;
therapeutics;
vaccines;
surveillance technologies;
digital health tools.
WHO specifically notes that early pathogen identification and sequencing can accelerate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. 1791872628903
For developers and manufacturers in diagnostics, digital health and laboratory technologies, the strategy signals growing international emphasis on interoperability, genomic surveillance, AI-enabled analytics and rapid evidence generation.
