The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, more emphatically than ever, the need for strong, interconnected, and flexible surveillance systems capable of detecting and effectively responding to emerging public health threats in a timely manner. Beyond the recent pandemic, all public health crises of recent years have demonstrated that fragmented surveillance and a lack of interoperability across sectors limit the ability to respond quickly and take preventive action.
In this context, the European CSN project – Collaborative Surveillance Network, co-funded by the European Union’s EU4HEALTH program – aims to fill this critical gap by creating a strong and collaborative surveillance network.
The official launch of the project took place on Thursday, February 27, at the “Alkis Argyriadis” Auditorium of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, marking the beginning of a collaboration among leading national and international organizations. CSN leverages the significant expertise of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) in epidemiological surveillance and the Ministry of Health in crisis management. The program also involves the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the University of Thessaly, the Benaki Phytopathological Institute, the Agricultural University of Athens, and the University of West Attica.
Additionally, program partners include the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, the Hellenic Food Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Energy – General Secretariat for Natural Environment and Water, and the General State Chemistry Laboratory. Members of the Scientific Advisory Committee include distinguished experts from the World Health Organization, the Robert Koch Institute (Germany), Vanderbilt University (USA), TEPHINET (CDC/USA), and the Medical & Veterinary Entomology Department “Giorgio Nicoli” (Italy).
CSN aims to establish an advanced and interoperable surveillance system that enables early detection and effective response to health threats. By strengthening collaboration and data sharing across different sectors, the project implements a One Health approach, bridging areas such as public health, veterinary medicine, and the environment. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on human resource development through the establishment of a training program for new field epidemiologists.
It is evident that CSN is an initiative embedded within a comprehensive strategic framework for strengthening public health, promoting one of its key pillars through collaboration, innovation, and technology utilization. In a world where health threats know no borders, developing a strong and flexible surveillance network is an essential prerequisite for safeguarding citizens’ health and ensuring the resilience of health systems against future challenges.