- COVID-19 has shown that collectively, the world was woefully under prepared.
- In this new report, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board lays out the key lessons the world must learn from the pandemic and the concrete actions we can take to protect ourselves.
- With the right political and financial commitment and investment now, we can prevent and mitigate future pandemics.
- This is a critical moment for countries and we ask leaders to put targeted measures in place that we know can suppress the spread and ensure that health systems and workers are protected.
- For people also, we ask you to continue to do the basics.
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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
I am pleased to be joined by Dr Gro Brundtland and Mr As Sy, two heavyweights of public health who now co-chair the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board.
Since the turn of the Millennium, SARS, MERS, H1N1, Zika and Ebola have all demonstrated the increasing occurrences of viruses making the zoonotic leap from animals to humans.
The preparedness board was set up two years ago by the WHO and the World Bank to break the cycle of panic and neglect, which we have seen through multiple disease outbreaks.
There has been a recurring pattern of money being thrown at outbreaks when they’re already in full flow but then funds no longer being available to prevent the next outbreak.
Reviews and reports are only as good as the recommendations that are implemented. COVID-19 has shown that collectively, the world was woefully under prepared.
But with humility and togetherness we can plan for the long-term, and invest in health and preparedness. This isn’t charity, it’s an investment in our collective future.
In this new report, the GPMB lays out the key lessons the world must learn from the pandemic and the concrete actions we can take to protect ourselves.
Let’s ensure the recommendations are taken seriously and together our early warning and surveillance systems are improved so that we quickly and effectively curb outbreaks.
This pandemic has shown that whether countries are rich or poor, health systems can be completely overwhelmed and essential services can break down.
As I said, many of those countries that responded well have learned from previous outbreaks.
On 13 January this year, Thailand was the first country outside of China to record a case of the disease.
Thailand’s experience with SARS and H5N1 – combined with a strong public health and surveillance system – gave them the “muscle memory” to respond quickly to COVID-19.
Leadership across government of Thailand and public engagement supported by a million community health workers helped swiftly scale up an effective track and trace system.
This empowered the country to suppress the virus as citizens played their part in breaking the chains of transmission. WHO recently shared a video outlining Thailand’s response and we appreciate Thailand.
Developing “muscle memory’, like Thailand did from previous outbreaks, is key to pandemic response and now we need the whole world to strengthen preparedness.
From endless warnings about the world being under-prepared, all countries need to dig in together and invest to ensure a pandemic of this magnitude and severity never happens again.
With the right political and financial commitment and investment now, we can prevent and mitigate future pandemics.
In a world that is heating up and where intensified human activity is shrinking wild spaces, the likelihood of spillover of a novel pathogen from animals to humans is increasing.
We know for certain that there will be future novel viruses and another so called disease X.
But we also have the tools and know that the only way confront these global threats is as a global community, united in solidarity and committed to long-term cooperation.
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As some countries start to open up we see cases and deaths starting to spike and concerns about potential lack of hospital capacity.
This is a critical moment for countries and we ask leaders to put targeted measures in place that we know can suppress the spread and ensure that health systems and workers are protected.
For people also, we ask you to continue to do the basics. Physical distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, coughing and sneezing safely away from others, avoiding crowds and keeping windows and doors open when you can’t meet friends and family outside. Do it all!
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I want to thank the United Kingdom, Egypt and Indonesia for announcing that they will be joining COVAX. My thanks to other countries who are making commitments ahead of the deadline.
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On behalf of WHO and our co-conveners the World Bank, I would like to thank the co-Chairs and Board members of GPMB for this report and for their recommendations.
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To hear more on the recommendations, I now hand over to my sister Dr Bruntland. You have the floor.
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Thank you very much Gro, I now would like to invite the co-chair, my brother Mr As Sy, you have the floor.
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Thank you so much my brother As Sy, I ask Fadela to take over.