Duke-NUS Medical School has been awarded a €2m grant from the European Union to bolster Asia’s capacity to detect infectious disease outbreaks early. The funding will support the use of wastewater and environmental surveillance as a population-level early warning system, aiming to identify threats before clinical cases escalate.
The initiative, announced on 9 June 2026, is part of a broader effort to enhance public health preparedness across the region. The project will be led by Duke-NUS’s Centre for Outbreak Preparedness, with Professor Paul Pronyk at the helm. “This grant will enable us to develop robust systems that can provide critical data for early intervention,” said Pronyk.
The funding comes at a crucial time as countries continue to grapple with the challenges posed by infectious diseases. Wastewater surveillance has emerged as a valuable tool in monitoring public health, offering insights into the spread of pathogens within communities. By detecting viral particles in wastewater, authorities can gain a clearer picture of infection trends and respond more effectively.
The project was officially launched at the ADWANCE-Asia kick-off meeting on 8 June in Kuala Lumpur, attended by key figures from the European Commission, including Ludmila Nistor-Mihajlova and Angela Tessarolo. The collaboration underscores the importance of international partnerships in addressing global health challenges.
Looking ahead, the initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening the region’s health security infrastructure, potentially serving as a model for other parts of the world.
