The world has witnessed 17 outbreaks of dangerous diseases in 2024, each revealing critical weaknesses in pandemic prevention efforts and global preparedness, according to a new report by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB).
The report, launched at the 15th World Health Summit in Berlin on Monday, outlined 15 key drivers of pandemic risk, categorized into five distinct groups: social, technological, environmental, economic, and political.
GPMB, an initiative supported by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, tracks the drivers of pandemic risk and oversees global preparedness. The report stresses the urgency of understanding the global vulnerability to threats from new diseases and calls for a radical reset of the collective approach to pandemic preparedness.
The WHO said recent outbreaks of Marburg virus, Mpox and the latest strain of avian influenza (H5N1) are a stark reminder of the world’s vulnerability to pandemics.
Lack of trust between and within countries, inequity, intensive farming and the likelihood of human to animal crossover are among the key threats outlined in the report. The report also identified new risks outside of the traditional health factors.
The digital connectivity has enabled scientists to quickly sequence and share pathogen data and tailor responses ever faster, the report said adding that this digital footprint leaves health systems and societies exposed.
"Cyber-attacks, heightened biosecurity threats, and the rapid spread of misinformation all increase the risk of a pandemic. The next pandemic won't wait for us to perfect our systems... We must invest now in resilient and equitable primary healthcare systems to withstand the challenges of tomorrow,” Joy Phumaphi, GPMB Co-Chair and former Minister of Health to Botswana said.
The report highlighted the complex and interdependent factors which shape the risk of pandemics. It also stressed that willingness to build flexibility into the response, proactively protect society and invest in collaborative efforts can significantly reduce risk and enhance preparedness.
"To effectively protect themselves, all nations must strengthen their health systems, prioritize social protection, and ensure that essential health services are available to all communities, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. GDP alone is no measure of resilience to a pandemic," the report said while calling for incorporating strategies spanning across the human, animal, and environmental health interfaces.
“We have a narrow window of opportunity to rethink global preparedness: to assess risks that extend well beyond the health sector, and to address some of these far more proactively, in a way that is adapted to each context,” said Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, GPMB Co-Chair and former President of Croatia,. “Vigilance, adaptability and collaboration must define our preparation now, so that is it baked-in to the response," she added.
The report provided a framework for policymakers to adapt existing health strategies and enhance protective measures against future pandemics.
"In today’s interconnected world, the global community must take collective responsibility for prevention and response to disease, rather than considering preparedness as an individual country or sector-level activity... The next pandemic will not follow the same path as COVID-19, lessons learned from that experience should guide but not define preparedness," the report said.
