By Carlos Fernandes, from Ongrace

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has devised a strategy to enable the world to identify the risk of epidemic or pandemic outbreaks within 24 hours. The goal is ambitious: the organization aims for all countries to reach this objective within five years. The WHO’s Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence (CPEI) seeks to equip its 160 member states, partner organizations, and scientists to rapidly identify and understand emerging threats, by supporting them in the development of systems, capabilities, and partnerships.

A key tool in achieving this objective is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze thousands of public sources in real time, identifying spikes in reports or outbreaks of specific diseases. In a second phase, the WHO aims to enhance capabilities in genomic sequencing and bioinformatics to identify new pathogens in a timely manner, thereby accelerating the development of tests, treatments, and vaccines. The CPEI was established in 2021 and consolidated in 2022, in response to critical gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2019.

Speaking at the opening of the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, in October, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus highlighted the achievements of the Pandemic Hub in the five years since its inception: “The institution has become an integral part of the global health security system,” he stated. “We need to respond rapidly to health threats before they escalate into major crises.”

Another area of ​​activity is a Collaborative Surveillance program—currently being implemented in more than 80 countries, including Brazil—which involves the development of digital systems for real-time data sharing. These systems allow for the cross-referencing of information regarding events that stand out due to their scale or intensity, thereby mobilizing experts and reference centers.