World Field Epidemiology Day is dedicated to recognising and raising awareness of the vital role of field epidemiologists in protecting public health and i…
World Field Epidemiology Day is dedicated to recognising and raising awareness of the vital role of field epidemiologists in protecting public health and improving health security. Strong epidemiological capacity is the foundation of effective disease prevention, timely outbreak detection and evidence-based public health action. At the core of this capacity are robust national surveillance systems that enable countries to monitor health threats and respond effectively.
Under the EU4Health programme, HaDEA managed the Joint Action UNITED4Surveillance, which improved the surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases across the EU/EEA. The Joint Action promoted the integration of existing and new data sources and contributed to surveillance capacity-building within Europe and beyond, supporting stronger global health security.
UNITED4Surveillance focused on three areas:
- Outbreak detection: strengthening the timely identification and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks through improved use of surveillance data and early warning approaches.
- Hospital surveillance: supporting hospitals in detecting, tracking and responding to healthcare-associated infections through better data integration and surveillance capacity.
- One Health surveillance: improving collaboration across human, animal and environmental domains to enable more coordinated surveillance and a stronger response to cross-sector health threats.
Under each topic area, the Joint Action identified best practices, promising approaches, and newly developed tools, which were piloted in participating EU countries. Pilot plans and results were then gathered into a structured roadmap that proposes solutions for the deployment of integrated surveillance at the national and EU levels.
Building on the preparatory work carried out under UNITED4Surveillance and following up on the integrated surveillance approaches piloted through the Joint Action, HaDEA is also managing 23 direct grants to EU countries and associated countries. These grants support national efforts to improve and strengthen surveillance systems, contributing to a more resilient, responsive and coordinated public health landscape across Europe. These grants support a wide range of actions, including:
- improving data collection, analysis, and reporting processes;
- enhancing digital tools and surveillance infrastructure;
- increasing interoperability between national and European systems;
- strengthening laboratory and epidemiological capacities;
- supporting workforce development and training;
- improving preparedness for cross-border health threats;
- promoting data quality, timeliness and completeness.
Background
EU4Health is the fourth and largest of the EU health programmes. The EU4Health programme goes beyond an ambitious response to the COVID-19 crisis to address the resilience of European healthcare systems. The programme provides funding to national authorities, health organisations and other bodies through grants and public procurement, contributing to a healthier Europe.
HaDEA manages the vast majority of the total EU4Health budget and implements the programme by managing calls for proposals and tenders from 2021 to 2027.
