The world stands dangerously underprepared for the next pandemic, six years after COVID-19’s chaos exposed glaring weaknesses that persist today.
Story Snapshot
- GPMB’s 2025 report declares global health security hangs in the balance amid geopolitical tensions and funding shortfalls.
- 2026 marks a pivotal year with the UN High-Level Meeting in September and May deadline for Pandemic Agreement’s key annex.
- Only $2.25 billion committed to the Pandemic Fund since 2022, far short of the $10-15 billion annual need for low-income countries.
- Amended International Health Regulations took effect in September 2025, yet implementation gaps threaten all nations.
- Experts demand a shift to care, measure, and cooperate—or risk repeating COVID-19’s devastation.
COVID-19 Exposed Fundamental Flaws
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021 revealed serious shortcomings in preparedness at national, regional, and global levels. Health systems lacked capacity and resilience for timely prevention, detection, and response. The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, created in 2018 after the West Africa Ebola crisis, monitored risks but held no enforcement power. Institutional setups failed without political will and funding. This history underscores why mere frameworks fall short against real threats.
GPMB Issues Urgent 2025 Warning
The GPMB released its report, “The New Face of Pandemic Preparedness,” at the October 2025 World Health Summit in Berlin. It calls for a transformative shift, labeling 2026 pivotal due to the UN High-Level Meeting. Geopolitical divisions, misinformation, and resource competition weaken efforts. Technological gains in vaccines and data clash with mistrust. National governments vary in commitment, leaving low- and middle-income countries most exposed.
Key Frameworks Advance Amid Gaps
WHO Member States adopted amended International Health Regulations in September 2025, establishing a Coordinating Financial Mechanism. The Pandemic Agreement eyes May 2026 for its PABS annex adoption to enable full force. The Pandemic Fund, launched in 2022, holds $2.25 billion but faces demands exceeding supply. Applications outstrip funds, highlighting the $10-15 billion annual shortfall for LMICs. Interim Secretariat phases out by early 2027, demanding seamless transition.
GPMB prescribes three actions: care via frontline investments in primary health and workforce protection; measure through real-time risk systems blending health, economic, and environmental data; cooperate with international coordination and tech transfer. The UN General Assembly’s Modalities Resolution prepares the 2026 HLM agenda.
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Stakeholders Face Mounting Pressures
WHO and World Bank co-convene GPMB, guiding regulations but relying on member compliance. National governments implement strategies, yet LMICs struggle with infrastructure. The private sector drives vaccine innovation but needs profit incentives aligned with equity. Independent Panel urges HLM to form a Leaders Group, recognize pandemic prevention as a global public good, and close funding gaps. Multisectoral coordination proves essential, as health ministries alone lack scope.
Failure at May 2026’s PABS deadline or September HLM risks perpetuating vulnerability. Long-term, unratified agreements become hollow. LMICs bear brunt, but pandemics ignore borders—threatening global economies as COVID-19 proved.
Sources:
Global health security hangs in the balance in a volatile and uncertain world – Report emphasizes
United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/79/333
The power to lead for a safer world – The Independent Panel
