Following two full days of intensive engagement, the Epidemiology Unit team has successfully completed its latest training on the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system, marking another significant milestone in strengthening Sri Lanka’s Public Health Intelligence capacity.
/countries/sri-lanka/eios-workshop-01.jpeg?sfvrsn=86ee05cc_3 "EIOS Workshop-01")
Caption: Participants familiarize themselves with key public health intelligence terminology. Photo credits: WHO/ Anjalee De Silva
A total of 18 participants took part in the training programme, which focused on developing practical, hands‑on competencies in the use of EIOS for event‑based surveillance. Through a combination of demonstrations, guided exercises, and technical discussions, trainees explored the full range of EIOS functionalities and examined strategies to systematically integrate the platform into Sri Lanka’s national public health surveillance and early warning mechanisms.
This training is supported by the Pandemic Fund grants for Sri Lanka and builds upon the foundation established during Sri Lanka’s first EIOS training conducted in 2023, which introduced the platform’s core concepts and underscored its role in enhancing real‑time detection of public health signals. The current session further supports national efforts to institutionalize EIOS within routine surveillance workflows, ensuring that Sri Lanka remains equipped to identify and verify emerging health threats more rapidly and effectively.
/countries/sri-lanka/eios-workshop-02.jpeg?sfvrsn=31293d38_3 "EIOS Workshop-02")
Caption: Participants actively designing an EIOS monitoring board for Sri Lanka during the workshop. Photo credits: WHO/ Stefany Ildefonso
Reflecting on the progress made, Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, stated:
“Strengthening event‑based surveillance is essential for safeguarding the health security of Sri Lanka. The commitment demonstrated by the Epidemiology Unit through this EIOS training reflects the country’s strong vision for early detection and rapid response. WHO remains fully committed to supporting Sri Lanka as it further strengthens its Public Health Intelligence capacities and institutionalizes systems that enable timely, data‑driven action.”
Way Forward
Building on the outcomes of the training, the Epidemiology Unit will focus on several key next steps to further strengthen national event‑based surveillance capacities:
- Formation and strengthening of an Event‑Based Surveillance (EBS) Core Team within the Epidemiology Unit to lead the institutionalization and routine use of EIOS.
- Development, refinement, and finalization of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide EIOS and other EBS systems supported event detection, signal triage, verification, documentation and reporting workflows.
- Linking the EIOS platform with the existing EPINET system of the Epidemiology Unit to ensure streamlined data flows, improved information sharing, and a more coordinated national approach to detecting and responding to emerging public health threats.
These efforts collectively represent a strong step forward for Sri Lanka in advancing early detection, risk assessment, and evidence‑informed response, reinforcing the country’s commitment to a resilient and proactive public health surveillance system.