Strengthening Public Health Intelligence (PHI) is central to WHO’s mandate to detect, assess, and respond to health threats in a timely and effective manner. Recent emergencies including the COVID-19 pandemic, Mpox or recent conflicts, highlighted the urgent need for stronger national and global capacities to gather, analyze, and act on intelligence for public health decision-making. The Public Health Intelligence Competency Framework and the Public Health Intelligence Curriculum are aimed to directly strengthen the capacity of the global public health intelligence workforce.
The PHI Competency Framework defines the essential skills and functions needed for public health intelligence: detecting signals, verifying information, analyzing data, assessing risks, and sharing information effectively. The PHI Curriculum translates these competencies into structured training modules that can be adapted to local needs and contexts, ensuring health workers are not only aware of these standards but equipped to apply them in practice.
The webinar will showcase how these tools can be used by Member States, partners, and educators to align training with international standards, ensure a more skilled and adaptable workforce, and ultimately enhance preparedness and response to public health threats through an all-hazards and One Health approach.
Objectives
- Introduce the concept of Public Health Intelligence (PHI)
- Highlight the importance of workforce development as a cornerstone for advancing PHI capacities at global, regional, and country levels.
- Present the Public Health Intelligence Competency Framework and Curriculum
- Showcase Practical Applications and Benefits drawing from examples from the different speakers
- Set the scene for implementation and further collaborations
Speakers
Introduction of EPI-WIN, housekeeping, introduction to topic and speakers and slido, EPI-WIN Science and Knowledge Translation, WHO
Welcome remarks high-level comments on the importance of this work, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu,
Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme
Launch of PHI Competency Framework and Curriculum, Dr Philip AbdelMalik, Unit Head, Intelligence Innovation and Integration & Dr Raquel Medialdea Carrera, Epidemiologist, WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Berlin
Why is PHI so relevant for global health security? Professor Dr Johanna Hanefeld, Acting Vice-President, Robert Koch Institute
Lebanon’s experience, Dr Nada Ghosn, Head, Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Ministry of Public Health, Lebanon
Q&A, All – Panel
Closing, EPI-WIN Science and Knowledge Translation, WHO
Strengthening Public Health Intelligence Competencies Initiative