BERLIN, GERMANY / RankWire.AI / – The World Health Organization has set a target for countries to identify and understand new health threats within 24 hours by 2030. WHO placed the goal at the center of a new five-year strategy for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. The organization presented the plan during the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The strategy focuses on earlier outbreak detection, stronger surveillance and faster analysis of health data. It covers the period from 2026 through 2030.
The WHO Pandemic Hub opened in Berlin in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed major gaps in global disease surveillance. The German government provided foundational support for the initiative. Since then, the Hub has worked with more than 160 WHO Member States and about 190 partner organizations and networks. Its work brings together public health agencies, researchers and technical experts. They share data, track pathogens and improve systems for detecting potential epidemics. WHO runs the Hub through its wider Health Emergencies Programme.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Hub has become part of the global health security system since its launch. The 2030 strategy sets objectives for surveillance, detection, analysis and digital infrastructure. It also aims to improve cooperation between countries and scientific institutions. The Hub plans to expand tools that help health authorities assess emerging risks more quickly. WHO says the strategy builds on lessons from the Hub’s first five years and gives countries a common benchmark for outbreak intelligence.
Global networks support faster detection
Five major initiatives will support the new strategy. Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources scans public information for signals that could indicate emerging health threats. The system uses artificial intelligence to process large volumes of data from publicly available sources. WHO says more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations use the platform. Its EIOS community includes over 4,000 experts. The system helps health authorities find, review and assess information that may require closer public health attention.
The International Pathogen Surveillance Network focuses on genomic sequencing and bioinformatics. It now includes nearly 360 partners across more than 110 countries. The Collaboratory connects more than 2,000 experts in modelling and data science. Another program, the Collaborative Surveillance Initiative, supports work in more than 83 countries through a One Health approach. WHO will also expand digital tools through a new initiative focused on secure data sharing and responsible artificial intelligence. These programs form the operational core of the 2026 to 2030 strategy.
Berlin partnerships continue through 2031
The Hub has also extended cooperation agreements with the Robert Koch Institute and Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin through 2031. The partnerships cover public health surveillance, pathogen genomics, artificial intelligence and data science. The organizations have worked with WHO since the Hub’s early years in Berlin. Their collaboration combines international health coordination with national research and public health expertise. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health has supported the wider partnership. The renewed agreements maintain a Berlin-based network for research, analysis and preparedness work.
WHO says its 24-hour target will guide the Hub’s work through the end of the decade. The organization wants countries to detect threats quickly and build a clearer picture of how new outbreaks develop. The strategy also calls for stronger digital systems and broader access to pathogen intelligence. WHO will continue linking national authorities with scientists and international partners through its existing networks. The Hub’s 2030 plan places rapid detection, shared data and practical public health analysis at the center of global epidemic preparedness.
