Global public health intelligence: World Health Organization operational practices

• Published in: PLOS global public health Vol. 3; no. 9; p. e0002359
• Main Authors: Hamblion, Esther, Saad, Neil J, Greene-Cramer, Blanche, Awofisayo-Okuyelu, Adedoyin, Selenic Minet, Dubravka, Smirnova, Anastasia, Engedashet Tahelew, Etsub, Kaasik-Aaslav, Kaja, Alexandrova Ezerska, Lidia, Lata, Harsh, Allain Ioos, Sophie, Peron, Emilie, Abdelmalik, Philip, Perez-Gutierrez, Enrique, Almiron, Maria, Kato, Masaya, Babu, Amarnath, Matsui, Tamano, Biaukula, Viema, Nabeth, Pierre, Corpuz, Aura, Pukkila, Jukka, Cheng, Ka-Yeung, Impouma, Benido, Koua, Etien, Mahamud, Abdi, Barboza, Phillipe, Socé Fall, Ibrahima, Morgan, Oliver
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Biology and Life Sciences; Medicine and Health Sciences; People and Places; Review; Social Sciences
• ISSN: 2767-3375; 2767-3375
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002359

Early warning and response are key to tackle emerging and acute public health risks globally. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented a robust approach to public health intelligence (PHI) for the global detection, verification and risk assessment of acute public health threats. WHO's PHI operations are underpinned by the International Health Regulations (2005), which require that countries strengthen surveillance efforts, and assess, notify and verify events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). PHI activities at WHO are conducted systematically at WHO's headquarters and all six regional offices continuously, throughout every day of the year. We describe four interlinked steps; detection, verification, risk assessment, and reporting and dissemination. For PHI operations, a diverse and interdisciplinary workforce is needed. Overall, PHI is a key feature of the global health architecture and will only become more prominent as the world faces increasing public health threats.