WHO Publishes Manuals for Strengthening National Foodborne Illness Surveillance and Response Systems
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a set of updated manuals to help national authorities strengthen foodborne illness outbreak surveillance and response, contributing to faster and more reliable communication through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN).
Notifications shared through INFOSAN are first detected at the national level, and the speed and clarity of early information influence subsequent decisions and actions. The updated manuals explain how countries can strengthen these systems so that signals of concern are identified sooner, verified reliably, and shared through INFOSAN when there are international implications.
The manuals also describe how to integrate laboratory data, environmental assessments, food chain information, and public health investigations to support more comprehensive risk assessments and strengthen the evidence supporting notifications sent to INFOSAN. Better evidence provides INFOSAN members with clearer, more actionable information to support timely risk management decisions.
Each manual includes practical instruments that national authorities can use to improve quality of their national foodborne illness surveillance and response systems. For example:
- Self-assessment tools enable authorities to review their current capacities and identify areas for investment
- Decision trees provide structured guidance on surveillance and response functions
- Templates, field investigation tools, and case studies help teams apply consistent approaches to outbreak investigations.
The updated manuals also reflect emerging priorities, including the growing impact of climate and environmental change on foodborne risks and the expanding role of integrated surveillance across the food chain. The documents offer examples, typologies, and guidance on transitioning from pilot activities to sustainable surveillance arrangements.
The full set of updated manuals can be accessed here.
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