On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, a high-level roundtable on Disease Surveillance Networks and Pandemic Preparedness took place in Geneva, Switzerland. The event brought together key stakeholders from global governments, multilateral organizations, donor and implementing organizations, and other institutions to discuss crucial issues related to outbreak detection and response.

Ms. Meghan Hagberg, Senior Vice President of BCIU, warmly welcomed the attendees and introduced them to one another, fostering an environment of collaboration and knowledge exchange. The opening remarks were delivered by esteemed speakers who shared their insights on pandemic intelligence and infectious disease research. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Assistant Director General and Head of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence at the World Health Organization, highlighted the importance of proactive disease surveillance systems in early outbreak detection. Following Dr. Ihekweazu's remarks, Dr. Gavin Cloherty, Head of Infectious Disease Research at Abbott and Head of the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, emphasized the need for robust pandemic preparedness and defense strategies.

The subsequent open discussion was moderated by Ms. Jenifer Healy, Senior Director of International Government Affairs at Abbott. Participants engaged in an insightful conversation focusing on various aspects, including the roles of stakeholders in outbreak detection, the creation of streamlined and collaborative responses to emerging data trends, and the coordination among disease surveillance networks like IPSN and others.

Dr. Mohannad Al Nsour, Executive Director of the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network (EMPHNET) and representative of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), played a significant role in the discussion. Dr. Al Nsour highlighted crucial issues related to disease surveillance and the importance of leveraging tools like Go.Data, an innovative outbreak investigation tool developed by the World Health Organization. His insights shed light on the challenges and gaps that still exist in the field of disease surveillance.

As the roundtable progressed, participants explored ways to move from integration to impact in disease surveillance networks. They deliberated on strategies to strengthen collaboration and improve the coordinated response of networks like IPSN to emerging trends and discoveries in data. The objective was to enhance the overall effectiveness of these networks in safeguarding public health.

With the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the upcoming High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Pandemic Preparedness and Response (PPR) in mind, participants contemplated whether future sessions should adopt a closed-door format, like the current roundtable, or take a more public-facing approach. This discussion aimed to ensure that future engagements align with the goals of the HLM on PPR.

The Roundtable on Disease Surveillance Networks and Pandemic Preparedness concluded while leaving participants with new insights and potential strategies to strengthen global health security and preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.