COVID-19: 6 Years On – Is the World Better Prepared for the Next Pandemic?
Six Years On, World’s Pandemic Preparedness Remains a Mixed Picture
Six years after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the global landscape of pandemic preparedness is marked by both significant progress and persistent vulnerabilities. While the PHEIC was lifted in May 2023, the lessons of COVID-19 continue to shape international health policy, prompting a re-evaluation of global cooperation and national capabilities.
Speaking at the opening of the 158th session of the Executive Board, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of solidarity, stating, “Solidarity is the best immunity.” This sentiment underscores the central theme of recent efforts to bolster pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
A landmark achievement in this regard is the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement in May 2025. This agreement establishes a comprehensive framework for addressing future pandemics, aiming to improve both global health security and equity. Member States are currently negotiating the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing (PABS) system, an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the goal of finalizing it ahead of this year’s World Health Assembly. Adoption of the PABS would pave the way for the Pandemic Agreement to be opened for signature and enter into force as international law.
Complementing the Pandemic Agreement, amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) designed to strengthen national capacities entered into force in September 2025. These revisions aim to enhance countries’ abilities to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies.
Financial commitments have also been made to support these efforts. The Pandemic Fund, cofounded by WHO and the World Bank, has allocated over US$ 1.2 billion in grant funding across three rounds. This funding has catalyzed an additional US$ 11 billion, supporting 67 projects in 98 countries across six regions, with a focus on expanding surveillance networks, laboratory capacity, workforce training, and multisectoral coordination.
Technological advancements are playing an increasingly important role. WHO’s Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence has updated its Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS) system, leveraging artificial intelligence to assist over 110 countries in identifying and responding to emerging threats more rapidly. Genomic sequencing capabilities have expanded globally, with over 110 countries now strengthening genomic surveillance to track pathogens with pandemic potential through the International Pathogen Surveillance Network.
The WHO BioHub has also expanded its role as a trusted global mechanism, coordinating 25 sample shipments to 13 laboratories across 30 countries and territories. Since its launch in late 2020, the BioHub has acquired 34 variants of SARS-CoV-2, mpox, Oropouche virus, and MERS-CoV, facilitating research and preparedness efforts.
Efforts to promote local, equitable development and production of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments have gained momentum. Initiatives such as the mRNA technology transfer hub in Cape Town, its training center in Seoul, and the Interim Medical Countermeasures Network are aimed at increasing access to essential medical countermeasures, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Investments in workforce development are also underway. The WHO Academy in France will focus on strengthening pandemic preparedness capacities through simulation trainings, while the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing, established by the Republic of Korea and WHO, aims to boost manufacturing capacities for vaccines and biologics.
The Global Health Emergency Corps, established by WHO in 2023, supports countries experiencing public health emergencies by assessing workforce capacities, deploying surge support, and fostering a network of emergency leaders to share best practices. The Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR) continues to help countries identify gaps and strengthen accountability in their preparedness efforts.
Recent responses to outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg demonstrate the progress made at the national level, with support from WHO. These outbreaks were contained more quickly, with limited spread and lower fatality rates compared to past outbreaks, reflecting improved national capacities and international collaboration.
Despite these achievements, WHO cautions that these gains remain fragile. Funding priorities are shifting, with resources increasingly diverted from health towards defense and national security, potentially undermining the systems strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization stresses that pandemics are, in fact, national security threats, and that investing in preparedness is an investment in lives saved, economies protected, and societies stabilized.
This week’s WHO Executive Board meeting will be a critical juncture, as governments determine the future of collaboration, accountability, and efficiency in global health. The organization urges governments, partners, and stakeholders not to diminish their commitment to pandemic preparedness and prevention, recognizing that pathogens do not respect borders and that no country can address these challenges alone.