International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

In observance of International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, we spotlight how Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) endangers rural livelihoods in Ghana and highlight the role of Peste des Petits Ruminants (VWB) and the Ghana Poultry Network (GAPNET) in prevention. By underscoring community-based vaccination, robust surveillance, and farmer education, it illustrates how coordinated, One Health efforts can help avert the next epidemic before it starts.

The IFRC network is actively working to bridge these gaps, ensuring communities are equipped to face future health emergencies. However, this vital work requires significantly more investment to fortify health systems worldwide. The time to act is now, as the challenges of an increasingly hazardous world demand robust and coordinated global action to protect humanity from the next inevitable pandemic.

Building on the lessons from COVID-19, countries from the Americas strongly engaged in decisions to better prepare against present and future health challenges, including pandemics, climate change and growing antibiotic resistance, and to promote universal health coverage.

The world must prepare for the next pandemic and act on lessons learned from COVID-19, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message on Wednesday to mark the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected hundreds of millions of lives, caused millions of deaths and inflicted devastating impacts on humanity. After three years of unprecedented global efforts, on 5 May the World Health Organization (WHO)  declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, stressing however, that it does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat. 

“Economic damage inflicted by the pandemic endures. Many healthcare systems are struggling. Millions of children are threatened by disease after missing out on routine childhood vaccinations,” said Mr. Guterres.  

Lessons to learn

The UN chief noted that three years after the first COVID-19 vaccines were developed, billions of people remain unprotected - overwhelmingly in developing countries.   “When the next pandemic arrives, we must do better. But we’re not yet ready. We must prepare and act on the lessons of COVID-19,” he urged.  “We must renounce the moral and medical disaster of rich countries hoarding and controlling pandemic healthcare supplies, and ensure everyone has access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines,” he stressed, adding that WHO’s authority and financing must also be strengthened.

Joint efforts

He said the way forward lies through global cooperation. The world must improve surveillance of viruses, strengthen health systems, and make the promise of Universal Health Coverage a reality.  

The Secretary-General said these efforts are making progress. He recalled that the High-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, held in September, concluded with a robust political declaration which complements negotiations underway towards a pandemic accord.

This first-ever global agreement aims to enhance collaboration, cooperation, and equity in responding to pandemics of the future, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in his end-of-year message published on Tuesday.

The pandemic accord will help to create a safer and healthier world with a universal system of response to disease eruptions, he added.   

Mr. Guterres urged countries to build on this momentum by delivering a strong, comprehensive accord, focused on equity.

“Together, let’s act on the lessons of COVID-19, prepare, and build a fairer, healthier world for all,” he said. 

On 27 December, we celebrate the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.

The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the need to equip the world and ensure that we are all ready to take on the health challenges to come. We must heed the lessons learnt from the recent pandemic and invest in epidemic preparedness, prevention and response to save the world from the scourge of epidemics.

Access the OpenWHO courses on pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases to improve response capabilities here.

COVID-19 is no longer the international public health emergency it was, but it is still circulating, and its devastating effects are still with us. Economic damage inflicted by the pandemic endures. Many healthcare systems are struggling. Millions of children are threatened by disease after missing out on routine childhood vaccinations. And three years after the first COVID-19 vaccines were developed, billions of people remain unprotected – overwhelmingly in developing countries.  

When the next pandemic arrives, we must do better. But we’re not yet ready. We must prepare and act on the lessons of COVID-19. 

Working together, the world must improve surveillance of viruses, strengthen health systems, and make the promise of Universal Health Coverage a reality. We must renounce the moral and medical disaster of rich countries hoarding and controlling pandemic healthcare supplies, and ensure everyone has access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.  And we must strengthen the World Health Organization’s authority and financing.

These efforts are making progress. The High-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in September agreed a robust political declaration. This complements the negotiations on a pandemic accord in Geneva.

On this International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, I urge countries to build on this momentum by delivering a strong, comprehensive accord, focused on equity, by next year’s World Health Assembly in May.

Together, let’s act on the lessons of COVID-19, prepare, and build a fairer, healthier world for all.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stresses the importance of #InternationalCooperation in preventing and combating future epidemics and calls on every country to establish a plan to achieve proper health care coverage for all.

Many countries currently lack the minimum capacities necessary to rapidly detect and respond to known vulnerabilities and likely public health emergencies. 

WHO works long-term with Member States to improve their operational readiness, and handle the initial impact of emergencies and subsequent recovery. WHO’s work supports countries in meeting their commitments under the International Health Regulations to build capacity for all kinds of public health events.

Working in close collaboration with regional and country offices, WHO:

helps countries strengthen their public health surveillance system;

provides risk assessment support in the form of technical guidance and operational support on the ground;

provides guidance on risk communications;

advises countries on establishing or accessing laboratory services;

supports national rapid response team trainings and training of trainers; 

conducts simulation exercises to test national, regional, and global capacities to respond to emergencies; and

initiates after action reviews (AAR) after the event to identifying best practices, gaps and lessons learned.

The disruptive shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has sharpened global awareness of the value of health and the need for investment in it. Investment in the World Health Organization is catalytic by nature, meaning that funds invested in WHO are used to support Member States in taking action on health issues. This is done through the three key functions of WHO – leadership, development of technical products and country support.

According to a new analysis contained here, the quantifiable return on investment in WHO is very substantial. The cost of WHO in net present value terms over the coming 10-year period, 2022–2031, is US$ 33 billion and the public value created as a result of this investment, in the most conservative estimation possible, is likely to be between US$ 1.155 trillion and US$ 1.46 trillion. The resulting return on investment is at least US$ 35 for every US$ 1 invested in WHO.

There has never been a more critical moment to invest in WHO, and strengthen the unique role it plays in global health. Now is the time to sustainably finance WHO and invest in a healthy return for all.

 Statement by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on International Day of Epidemic Preparedness December 27, 2021.

"Let us build an understanding that averting future epidemics will require us to share best practices, scientific knowledge, and critical, lifesaving resources."