The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new initiative to help countries better prepare for future pandemics.
The new ‘Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats Initiative’ incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies, according to WHO.
The initiative’s first module focuses specifically on responding to the threat or arrival of respiratory pathogens, including influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus.
This will enable countries to critically review, test and update their respiratory pandemic planning efforts to ensure they have the functional capacities and capabilities in place.
A process is currently underway to identify the next group of pathogens, such as arboviruses, to be addressed under this initiative.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said: “Preparedness, prevention, and response activities must not be the province of the health sector alone.
“Just as health emergencies have impacts across many sectors, so must our preparedness and response efforts span sectors, disciplines and pathogens.”
Ghebreyesus added: “It is critical, too, that community engagement and equity are the centre of our efforts, especially for those populations that are marginalised and most at risk.”
WHO has had a strong focus on pandemic preparedness since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, countries of the organisation began negotiations on a draft global agreement aimed at protecting nations and communities from future pandemic emergencies.
The discussions took place during the week-long fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, which includes WHO’s 194 countries, and are expected to continue over the next year until a final draft is made in 2024.
Roland Driece, co-chair of the INB Bureau, from the Netherlands, said the start of discussions sent “a clear signal that countries of the world want to work together for a safer, healthier future where we are better prepared for, and able to prevent future pandemic threats, and respond to them effectively and equitably”.
The organisation has also been working on strengthening pandemic preparedness capabilities in low- and middle-income countries through the establishment of a financial intermediary fund.
It also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Association of National Public Health Institutes in October last year to establish or reinforce the role of national institutes in emergency preparedness and response.