Event highlights
On 26 August 2026, 35 participants joined an online information-exchange webinar exploring how wastewater surveillance can support the early detection of pathogens, help monitor infectious disease trends and strengthen evidence-informed public health decision-making.
The webinar was organized under the European Union-funded project “Strengthening national capacities against COVID-19 and other public health emergencies”, implemented by the General Directorate of Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Türkiye with the technical support of the WHO Country Office in Türkiye.
Dr Joshua Levy, Senior Project Scientist in the Department of Translational Medicine at Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, United States, delivered a presentation entitled “Establishing scalable wastewater-integrated genomic surveillance across diverse contexts”.
The session was moderated by Dr Gültekin Ünal, National Professional Officer for Laboratories at the WHO Country Office in Türkiye, and Dr Belkıs Levent, Specialist Physician at the National Reference Laboratory for Enteric Pathogens, Directorate of Microbiology Reference Laboratories and Biological Products, General Directorate of Public Health.
During the session, Dr Levy shared knowledge and experience on integrating wastewater data into genomic surveillance systems. His presentation addressed the role of wastewater surveillance in public health, approaches that can be adapted and scaled across different settings, and international experiences and examples of good practice.
The webinar provided participants with an opportunity to exchange up-to-date knowledge and explore how wastewater-based data can complement existing surveillance systems. Discussions also highlighted the importance of developing approaches that respond to different public health needs, resources and operational contexts.
By bringing together professionals working in this field in Türkiye, the event helped promote a shared understanding among relevant stakeholders and contributed to ongoing efforts to strengthen national surveillance capacity.
The exchange of scientific knowledge, practical experience and good practices remains essential to building a more resilient public health system that is better prepared for future emergencies.