World At Risk Of More Devastating Pandemics, Global Board Warns

The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) has warned that the world is edging closer to more devastating pandemics as global health threats continue to rise faster than investments in preparedness and response systems.

In a new report released on Monday, the Board cautioned that the situation could deteriorate further unless governments and international partners urgently implement three key measures: establishing a permanent and independent system for monitoring pandemic risks, ensuring equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments through a Pandemic Agreement, and securing sustainable funding for preparedness and emergency response efforts.

The report, titled: ‘A World on the Edge: Priorities for a Pandemic-Resilient Future,” was unveiled in Geneva ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly under the joint convenorship of the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group.

The GPMB, which was established in 2018 by the WHO and the World Bank, is expected to conclude its mandate in 2026.

According to the report, the warning comes 10 years after the Ebola outbreak in West Africa exposed major weaknesses in global outbreak response systems and six years after the COVID-19 pandemic placed enormous pressure on health systems, economies and governance structures around the world.

The Board noted that infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent and increasingly severe, with far-reaching health, economic, political and social consequences, even as countries’ ability to recover from such crises continues to weaken.

It said that although some progress has been made over the last decade, investments in preparedness have failed to match the growing scale of global risks. The report identified geopolitical tensions, ecological pressures, rising global mobility and declining development assistance, now at levels last recorded in 2009, as factors worsening vulnerability to future pandemics.

The report reviewed major Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs), including Ebola, COVID-19 and mpox, and found recurring shortcomings in global response systems, particularly regarding fair access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

According to the Board, mpox vaccines only reached low-income countries nearly two years after the outbreak began, compared to approximately 17 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the trend as evidence of deepening inequality in global health responses.

The GPMB further warned that health emergencies often leave lasting political and social effects beyond their immediate health impact, including declining trust in governments, weakened confidence in science and growing societal polarization in several countries.

It also noted that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital health tools could improve preparedness efforts but may widen inequalities if not properly regulated and governed.

“The world does not lack solutions, but without trust and equity, those solutions will not reach the people who need them most,” said GPMB Co-Chair, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.

She added that world leaders still have a chance to improve global preparedness if existing commitments are converted into concrete and measurable action before another major health crisis emerges.

Speaking on the three priority actions outlined in the report, GPMB Co-Chair Joy Phumaphi said, “If trust and cooperation continue to fracture, every country will be more exposed when the next pandemic strikes.

“Preparedness is not only a technical challenge, but it is a test of political leadership”.

The report added that global leadership would face a major test in the coming months as countries continue negotiations on a final Pandemic Agreement under the WHO and prepare a United Nations political declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.