23 May 2023, Geneva , The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence will be strengthened thanks to a new cooperation between the Rockefeller Foundation and the WHO. In order to boost pandemic preparedness and develop worldwide networks for pathogen detection, the Foundation is investing US$ 5 million in partners working with WHO. This collaboration will also expand surveillance for diseases made worse by extreme weather and rising temperatures.
With an investment of $5 million, the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence will move forward with its top priorities, fostering worldwide collaboration in genomic surveillance, the adoption of data tools for pathogen detection, and the assessment of outbreak dangers exacerbated by climate change.
The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, which was established in 2021, allows international cooperation among partners from various industries to With improved data availability, analytical capabilities, and tools and insights for decision-making, future pandemic and epidemic risks can be addressed. These initiatives will be hastened by the cooperation with The Rockefeller Foundation, which will provide technical support and catalytic money.
“We are thrilled to partner with The Rockefeller Foundation to usher in a new era of global collaboration in pandemic intelligence in light of the increasing threats from climate change.”
Projects overseen by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence will receive funding from The Rockefeller Foundation, consisting of:
expanding the International Pathogen Surveillance Network’s capacity for worldwide genomic surveillance.
Developing a digital platform in conjunction with Data.org, to enable real-time communication and collaboration between public health analysts and researchers throughout the globe to scale evidence-based, field-tested epidemic tools.
To better assist international public health organizations, developing user-centered product strategies for the current WHO epidemic intelligence solutions.
improving epidemic detection through the Global. Health data science effort, in collaboration with organizations including the University of Oxford and Boston Children’s Hospital.
The Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Rajiv Shah stated that “climate change is increasing both the risk of another global pandemic and the need to collaborate and share data.” Thankfully, the WHO Pandemic Hub is already improving our knowledge and safety. Helping to connect nations and continents, track risks, and discover answers. We are honoured to collaborate with the Hub in order to increase its emphasis on averting pandemics brought on by climate change.
The news expands on The Rockefeller Foundation’s tradition of support for global pandemic preparedness and response as well as its 75-year history of partnership with WHO, including US$ 27M in grants over the last two decades. The Foundation pledged a US$ 1 billion commitment in October 2020 to spur a more equitable, environmentally friendly recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rockefeller Foundation was authorized by WHO to engage in official relations as a non-State player in January 2022.
On May 23, 2023, on the sidelines of the 76th World Health Assembly, The Rockefeller Foundation officially announced its cooperation with the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.
