WHO Launches Global Network to Detect Infectious Disease Threat

Source: The post is based on the article “WHO Launches Global Network to Detect Infectious Disease Threat” published in The Hindu on 22nd May 2023

What is the News?

The World Health Organization has launched the International Pathogen Surveillance Network(IPSN).

What is the International Pathogen Surveillance Network(IPSN)?

Purpose: IPSN is a global network to help protect people from infectious disease threats through the power of pathogen genomics.

– The platform will help connect countries and regions by improving systems for collecting and analyzing samples and using these data to drive public health decision-making and sharing that information more broadly.

Goal: To detect and respond to disease threats before they become epidemics and pandemics and to optimize routine disease surveillance.

Secretariat: It is hosted by the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.

What is Pathogen Genomics?

Pathogen genomics analyzes the genetic code of viruses, bacteria and other disease-causing organisms to understand how infectious they are, how deadly they are, and how they spread. 

With this information, scientists and public health officials can identify and track diseases to prevent and respond to outbreaks as part of a broader disease surveillance system, and to develop treatments and vaccines.