Prepare for pandemic deadlier than COVID: WHO chief

The world should be prepared to respond to a disease outbreak of “even deadlier potential” than COVID-19, the head of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said after the UN agency launched a global network to monitor disease threats.

In a speech at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday (22 May), WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency did not mean the global health threat was over.

“And the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains. And pandemics are far from the only threat we face. In a world of overlapping and converging crises, an effective architecture for health emergency preparedness and response must address emergencies of all kinds. This year’s High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness and Response is a valuable opportunity for leaders to chart a clear path forward towards that future. When the next pandemic comes knocking – and it will – we must be ready to answer decisively, collectively, and equitably,” he said.

“We cannot kick this can down the road. If we do not make the changes that must be made, then who will? And if we do not make them now, then when? When the next pandemic comes knocking – and it will – we must be ready to answer decisively, collectively and equitably,” he added.