The World Health Organization (WHO) receives a staggering 100,000 signals every month, each one a potential warning sign of a looming health threat, outbreak, or pandemic. But how do scientists and WHO experts sift through these signals to identify the real dangers?
Imagine a local hospital suddenly overflowing with patients, or a mysterious disease affecting an unusual demographic. These anomalies, or “signals,” can come from anywhere in the world and are often the first indication of a brewing health crisis.
To separate the noise from the legitimate threats, WHO relies on a sophisticated system that combines cutting-edge technology with old-fashioned detective work. Here’s how it works:
Automated scans of media sources around the clock help identify unusual patterns or reports of disease outbreaks. Artificial intelligence is then used to filter out false alarms and prioritize the most promising leads.
Next, WHO experts verify the information by contacting colleagues in the affected community, gathering more data, and sometimes even arranging for lab tests to confirm the diagnosis.
This meticulous process allows WHO to pinpoint potential health threats early, enabling swift action to prevent outbreaks and save lives. As the world’s premier health watchdog, WHO’s disease detectives are constantly on the lookout for the next big health threat – and their work is crucial to keeping us all safe.
WHO/Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
