Global Early Warning System: Safeguarding against future pandemics

As the world grapples with the rising threat of zoonotic and emerging diseases, the Global Early Warning System (GLEWS+) stands as a critical defense in protecting global health. Zoonotic diseases, which spread between animals and humans, have devastating impacts, particularly in regions like Africa, where resources are scarce. For example, with only three percent of the global health workforce and less than one percent of financial resources, Africa bears a disproportionate burden of zoonotic diseases, accounting for over 22 percent of global cases. Many organizations are working to address this challenge, but each organization may only be able to see a small piece of the larger puzzle. This makes GLEWS+ vital for coordinating information sharing and fostering collaborative approaches to early detection and response to health threats that span across human, animal, and environmental health.

Real-life successes: GLEWS+ in action

GLEWS+ isn't just a theoretical tool; it has played a pivotal role in helping global organizations better respond to real-world outbreaks. For instance, in 2021, GLEWS+ conducted a Joint Risk Assessment for SARS-CoV-2 transmission in fur farms. The findings were swiftly communicated across six UN languages, enabling global action. This proactive assessment helped countries better manage the risk of the disease and improve their surveillance approaches, ensuring that virus spread between humans, animals, and wildlife was limited.

Another notable example is GLEWS+’s role in monitoring Rift Valley fever, a zoonotic disease that can lead to significant human and livestock fatalities. Early alerts from GLEWS+ allowed countries in Africa and Asia to implement rapid control measures, limiting the disease’s spread and saving lives.

Challenges and adaptation

Despite its successes, GLEWS+ faces ongoing challenges, particularly in regions where resources are limited, and infrastructure is weak. One significant hurdle is maintaining accurate and timely data from remote areas. To address this, GLEWS+ supports investments in strengthening local surveillance networks and enhancing the capacity of frontline workers, by ensuring that partner organizations have a full understanding of the global landscape of surveillance networks and needs. Another challenge is ensuring cooperation and data sharing among countries, which can be hindered by political and economic factors. GLEWS+ continues to work on fostering international collaboration and building trust among member states, by providing a secure platform for the tripartite organizations to share information and discuss risks.

Looking forward: The future of GLEWS+

The future of GLEWS+ is focused on expanding its functionality to better meet the evolving challenges of global health security. Plans include integrating artificial intelligence to analyze patterns in real-time, which could drastically improve the speed and accuracy of outbreak detection. As global surveillance approaches continue to evolve, communication and coordination are increasingly important to leverage new approaches, tools, and systems. These advancements help to make GLEWS+ a powerful network that can help prevent the next pandemic before it starts.

The human cost of zoonotic diseases

Beyond the data, zoonotic diseases have profound human impacts. In rural Africa, where livestock is often the primary source of income, outbreaks like Rift Valley fever can devastate entire communities. Families lose not only their animals but also their livelihoods, pushing them into poverty. The psychological toll of living in constant fear of the next outbreak is immense. In Africa and elsewhere, GLEWS+ plays a crucial role in facilitating communication and coordination of disparate data streams to provide early warnings that can save both lives and livelihoods.

Strengthening global health security

The global disease alerts shared through the GLEWS+ platform over the last five years highlight the dynamic nature of health threats and the critical need for vigilant surveillance and targeted interventions. In this context, GLEWS+ serves as an indispensable tool, facilitating the identification of shifts in disease patterns and enhancing our ability to proactively detect and respond to potential threats to both animal and human health.

By fostering information exchange among global health authorities, GLEWS+ strengthens global health security. As a One Health intelligence tool, it leverages the expertise of FAO, WHO, WOAH, and associated One Health networks to improve the rapid detection of zoonotic disease outbreaks. This coordinated approach supports swift responses to epidemics, ultimately contributing to a more resilient global health system