Global experts call for stronger investment in Wastewater Surveillance for Disease Control

Leading scientists, policymakers, and public health experts from 31 countries have called for increased investment and integration of wastewater and environmental surveillance (WES) into national health systems to strengthen global disease detection and response.

This call was made at the end of the Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) Conference 2026, held in Accra, Ghana, under the theme: “Harnessing Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance – A One Health and Disease Control Tool.”

The conference brought together 178 in-person participants and over 400 daily virtual attendees from across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Participants highlighted that WES provides a cost-effective, non-invasive, and early-warning system for detecting infectious diseases, including emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Evidence presented during the conference demonstrated that wastewater data can complement clinical surveillance, improve outbreak preparedness, and support timely public health interventions.

Delivering the keynote address, WHO Technical Lead on Sanitation and Wastewater, Kate Medlicott, emphasised that wastewater surveillance can generate critical trend data even in the absence of clinical reporting.

She called for stronger multi-sector collaboration and adaptation of WES systems to local contexts.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to integrating WES into national disease control strategies, noting its success in supporting polio eradication efforts and its potential to address a broader range of public health threats.

Participants expressed concern over the heavy reliance on donor funding for WES activities in many low- and middle-income countries and urged governments to prioritise domestic financing, capacity building, and policy integration.

The conference concluded with key recommendations, including:

•Adoption of WES as a core component of the One Health approach

•Integration of WES into national surveillance systems

•Strengthening of research on cost-effectiveness to inform policy

•Development of sustainable financing mechanisms

•Investment in technical and laboratory capacity

The conference was chaired by Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo, who called for scalable and sustainable WES systems to enhance global health security.

Organisers expressed appreciation to partner institutions, including KNUST, Ghana Health Service, WHO, University of Ghana, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Environmental Protection Authority, Scripps Research, the Ministry of Health, and the Gates Foundation.