UN meeting urges sustained funding for pandemic preparedness after COVID-19
On Friday (date not specified), world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York. The meeting reviewed progress since the first high-level session in 2023 and highlighted the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that the COVID-19 pandemic caused over 20 million excess deaths and wiped more than $10 trillion from the global economy, exposing fault lines in global health security. He stressed that continued investment in stronger health systems, local capacities and equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics is essential. Leaders also called for completion of negotiations on a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with adoption targeted at the World Health Assembly in May 2027.
The meeting emphasized a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, integrating the One Health concept linking human, animal and environmental health. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed urged accelerated negotiations to unlock the Pandemic Agreement’s full potential. President of the 81st UN General Assembly Khalilur Rahman said the knowledge, tools and lessons from COVID-19 must be used now to protect families and honor those lost. Will you support policies that ensure equitable access to health resources, or advocate for stronger national preparedness plans in your community?