The World Health Organisation (WHO), in collaboration with its partners, has introduced the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) to protect populations from infectious diseases. This global network aims to strengthen sample collection, analysis, data-driven decision-making, and information sharing in public health through the power of pathogen genomics.
Pathogen genomics involves studying the genetic code of disease-causing organisms such as viruses and bacteria, providing valuable insights into their characteristics, transmission patterns, and severity. By leveraging this knowledge, scientists and health officials can effectively detect, monitor, and respond to outbreaks within a comprehensive disease surveillance framework. It also facilitates the development of treatments and vaccines.
Headquartered at the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, the IPSN brings together experts in genomics and data analytics from various sectors, including governments, foundations, multilateral organizations, academia, civil society, and the private sector. The network’s primary goal is to prevent disease threats from escalating into epidemics or pandemics and optimize routine disease surveillance activities.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized the network’s ambitious role in strengthening global health security, stating, “The goal of this new network is to give every country access to pathogen genomic sequencing and analytics as part of its public health system. As demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is stronger when united against shared health threats.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of pathogen genomics in responding to global health crises. Rapid sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome has been instrumental in developing and deploying effective vaccines, as well as identifying new variants. Genomics is also crucial for monitoring diseases like foodborne illnesses, influenza, tuberculosis, and HIV, including the tracking of HIV drug resistance.
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, emphasized the importance of global collaboration in pathogen genomic surveillance during the COVID-19 crisis. He praised the IPSN’s objective of promoting knowledge sharing, tools, and best practices among partners across sectors and borders to ensure innovative and resilient pandemic prevention and response efforts in the future.
While the pandemic has led to advancements in genomics capacity, many countries still lack effective systems for sample collection, analysis, and data utilization in public health decision-making. Limited sharing of data, practices, and innovations hinders the establishment of a robust global health surveillance architecture. Additionally, budgets that saw a surge during the pandemic for capacity development are now facing significant reductions, even in high-income nations.
