WHO Health Emergencies EPI-WIN webinar: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) genomic surveillance – how & why - World Health Organization (WHO)

Wednesday, 23 September 2026, 13:00–14:00 (CEST)BackgroundHealth emergencies—including disease outbreaks, pandemics, climate-related events, humanitarian crises, and natural disasters—are increasing in frequency and complexity. As the first point of contact for most populations, primary health care (PHC) plays a critical role in engaging communities, detecting health threats early, protecting communities and health workers, maintaining essential health services, and supporting rapid emergency response. Despite its central role, PHC is often insufficiently prepared and not systematically integrated into emergency preparedness and response planning. Lessons from disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola, and other public health emergencies including floods and drought have highlighted gaps in surveillance, continuity of essential health services, infection prevention and control, and community engagement at the primary care level. To address these challenges, WHO and Resolve to Save Lives developed the Emergency Ready Primary Health Care (ERPHC) Framework and Operational Guide, launched during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in May 2026.

Wednesday, 12 August 2026, 14:00–15:00 (CEST)BackgroundEl Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that can alter weather patterns around the world, increasing the likelihood of extreme heat, drought, flooding, wildfires and severe storms in many regions. These events can have significant impacts on health, including heat-related illness, waterborne and vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, mental health impacts, and disruptions to essential health services. As climate-related health risks continue to grow, preparedness and anticipatory action are essential. This webinar will bring together WHO experts and partners to discuss the global health risks associated with El Niño, share practical experiences and good practices, and explore how governments, health systems and communities can strengthen resilience and reduce health impacts before, during and after El Niño events. ObjectivesHighlight priority public health risks, including heat-related illness and waterborne diseases, vector-borne diseases, malnutrition, and disruptions to essential health services;Discuss actions that can be taken to strengthen emergency preparedness and anticipatory action.

Wednesday, 15 July 2026, 13:00–14:00 (CEST)BackgroundNational Public Health Agencies (NPHAs) play a central role in preventing, detecting, and responding to public health threats. They contribute to detecting threats early, generate and interpret evidence, coordinate across sectors, support decision-making and communicate with credibility during crises. The ability of NPHAs to perform these functions depends not only on technical capacity, but also on the governance and structural arrangements within which they operate. Yet, there remains little systematic evidence on how governance arrangements affect their effectiveness. Recognizing this critical gap, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (the Alliance) launched a multi-country learning program to examine the governance and structural arrangements of NPHAs across diverse contexts—from autonomous agencies to line ministries, and from established to newly formed NPHAs. To better understand how governance shapes their capacity to prepare for and respond to emergencies, a cross-country study examined ten NPHAs across diverse settings.

Tuesday, 16 June 2026, 14:00–15:00 (CEST)BackgroundInfection prevention and control (IPC) practices have evolved significantly in recent years, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. While substantial guidance exists on the initiation of isolation and IPC measures, there remains limited operational clarity on:Criteria for safe patient dischargeTiming and approach for discontinuation of transmission-based precautions (TBP)Implementation of IPC measures in quarantine settings, especially in resource-constrained or community environmentsOn 22 May 2026, WHO hosted the 2nd EPI-WIN webinar, addressing the natural history of the virus, provided updates on the clinical care and management of cases, including supportive care approaches and potential therapeutics, and presented infection prevention and control (IPC) recommended for the management of suspected or confirmed Hantavirus cases. Based on the available information and the existing observations of the current outbreak, limited human-to-human transmission of Andes virus (ANDV) is known to occur.

WHO is working to complete the public health facility that will care for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus disease. Tuesday, 9 June 2026, 13:00–14:00 (CEST)BackgroundAn outbreak of Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus was declared on 15 May 2026 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cross-border spread to Uganda. The World Health Organization has classified the event as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to its severity and potential for international spread. As of late May 2026, hundreds of suspected cases and confirmed infections have been reported, with transmission concentrated in eastern DRC.  Challenges in contact follow-up, insecure conditions, and inadequate isolation and referral systems complicating response efforts.  National authorities, in collaboration with WHO and partners, are implementing response measures including deployment of rapid response teams, delivery of medical supplies, strengthened surveillance, laboratory confirmation, infection prevention and control assessments, the set-up of safe and optimized treatment centers, and community engagement.