HERA launches a Wastewater Consortium with WHO and the Gates Foundation
On March 21st, 2024, the EC's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA) facility - partnered with 300 stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, the US CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), the African CDC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - launched a new Global Consortium for Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance for Public Health (GLOWACON).
Firstly announced on November 14th, 2023, it's aimed to the creation of an international sentinel system for the early detection, prevention, and real-time monitoring of epidemic threats and outbreaks.
Wastewater surveillance offers a swift response to emerging health threats by providing early insights into community transmission of diseases and variants, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional laboratory testing. That's why it was recognized as one of HERA's central initiatives upon its establishment in 2021.
It has risen as a potent, cost-efficient, and timely method that supplements clinical data, providing distinctive insights into the existence and progression of pathogens and other pertinent information regarding public health. Serving as the