The World Health Organization reports that for the first time in more than a decade, an Ebola outbreak caused by the Sudan virus strain has emerged in Uganda

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued a stark warning that outbreaks of the Marburg virus, monkeypox, and the latest avian influenza are posing severe challenges to global public health security. Within 2024 alone, 17 outbreaks of dangerous diseases have occurred worldwide, highlighting weaknesses in current pandemic preparedness systems and revealing insufficient readiness globally to respond to such outbreaks.

Major Threats and New Risks

The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), an initiative supported by the WHO and the World Bank, tracks pandemic risk drivers and oversees global preparedness efforts. The report, presented at the 15th World Health Summit in Berlin, identifies 15 key drivers of pandemic risk categorized into social, technological, environmental, economic, and political dimensions. The main threats include a lack of trust both within and between nations, social inequalities, intensive agriculture, and the increasing likelihood of zoonotic infections. Additionally, new risks such as cyber-attacks, heightened biosecurity threats, and the rapid spread of misinformation further compound the likelihood of pandemic outbreaks.

Urgent Action Required

Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng, Joint Chair of the GPMB and former Minister of Health of Botswana, emphasizes: "The next pandemic will not wait for us to perfect our systems. We must invest immediately in building resilient and equitable primary healthcare systems to face future challenges."

The report underscores the complexity and interdependence of factors shaping pandemic risk but also highlights that enhancing flexibility in response measures, improving social protection, and fostering international cooperation can significantly reduce risks and enhance preparedness. All countries should prioritize strengthening their health systems to ensure that all communities, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalized, have access to essential health services. A nation's GDP alone does not measure its pandemic resilience.

Global Collective Response

The report calls for a comprehensive strategy addressing human, animal, and environmental health to strengthen pandemic preparedness. It urges cross-sector collaboration to mitigate risks associated with pandemics.

Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Joint Chair of the GPMB and former President of Croatia, states: "We are at a critical and valuable juncture to re-evaluate global pandemic preparedness, assess risks beyond the health sector, and adopt more proactive strategies tailored to individual countries' contexts."

The report provides policymakers with a framework to adjust current health strategies and better respond to pandemic challenges, including ensuring that prevention and response plans are regularly reviewed and capable of adapting to various scenarios. Future capacity to handle health emergencies will depend on investments in research and development, technology enhancements, equitable health infrastructure, and a deep understanding of dynamic pandemic risk drivers.

In our interconnected world, strengthening pandemic preparedness is no longer the responsibility of individual nations or sectors alone; it is a shared duty of the global community. Nations must come together to confront the challenges posed by pandemics, ensuring global public health security.