Strengthening public health intelligence in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
15 October 2023, Cairo, Egypt – The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region has made great strides in strengthening public health intelligence capabilities in recent years, thanks to joint efforts by WHO and the Region’s countries and territories.
WHO stresses the importance of continuous monitoring and prompt signal detection. Hence, a dedicated team of experts in the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean works tirelessly 24/7 to gather public health intelligence from formal and informal sources. These sources include ministry of health websites, International Health Regulations national focal points, and online screening and social media platforms. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure that no potential public health event goes unnoticed.
A surveillance workshop run by WHO in Iraq. Photo credit: WHO/Health Emergencies Programme
The results of these efforts have been significant. Between 2018 and 2022, a total of 166 new outbreaks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, were detected and responded to in the Region. Around 30 000 signals were also detected, with nearly 700 requiring further verification. Of these, 234 were categorized as public health events and logged in the WHO Event Management System, with 77 public health risk assessments carried out in relation to these events.
Through concerted efforts, the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) initiative is up and running in 12 countries and territories of the