Governments and health systems must urgently strengthen their approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and emerging global health emergencies if we are to avoid the catastrophic impacts of another crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governments and health systems must urgently strengthen their approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and emerging global health emergencies if we are to avoid the catastrophic impacts of another crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
25 million
In just over three years, the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to nearly 25 million deaths worldwide
Top 10
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the top 10 global health threats facing humanity – WHO
< 50 %
Fewer than 50% of health facilities in low- and middle-income countries have uninterrupted access to medical oxygen – lifesaving medicine used in emergency care
70 %
More than 70% of drugs consumed in Africa are imported – a major risk to health security and access
Access requires that new products be developed in the first place. Insufficient investment in research and development for new therapeutics is urgently needed to ensure there will be a healthy pipeline of candidates that can be rapidly produced when a new pandemic hits.
Most of the world’s health products are produced in just a few, mainly high-income countries. This leaves countries vulnerable to price volatility, supply chain disruptions or unavailability of essential tools. This vulnerability became clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global lockdowns, increased demand and interruptions to supply meant countries without local manufacturing did not have access, not only to COVID-19 tools, but to routine medical supplies as well.
Inadequate health care infrastructure, a lack of oxygen-related equipment, and prohibitively high costs limit access and create severe shortages of medical oxygen when crises occur. Ensuring sustainable, affordable access to medical oxygen is critical to routine surgeries and medical care, and to pandemics caused by respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
Access to new medicines or other health technologies is commonly only considered once a new product has entered the market – and very high prices, insufficient production capacity and limited visibility on demand and user perspectives can severely limit their potential.
Our work on therapeutics, diagnostics, market shaping, oxygen and regional manufacturing supports countries to address today’s health challenges while also building the capacity to respond to future pandemics and global health emergencies.
Learn more about our efforts to strengthen health systems’ capacity to respond to global health emergencies.
