Berlin/Vienna, 18 October 2023 – At the World Health Summit (WHS) global leaders warned that the world was still not fully protected from another pandemic like COVID-19.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said, “We are in an era where health issues are a hot topic in politics, but they are not getting solved. We are not fully prepared to tackle the next worldwide pandemic.”

While WHS President, Axel Pries, highlighted that the world’s preparedness to deal with another outbreak was not sufficient on a global governance level, stating that, “Everyone says that if such a threat presents itself again, it will be worse than before.”

The annual event that takes place in Berlin hosted events around the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response accord, which is currently being negotiated by World Health Organisation Member States.

The key negotiators of the Pandemic Accord, in the International Negotiating Body (INB), shared their cautious optimism during the World Health Summit. Steven Solomon, WHO’s Principal Legal Officer, stated, “If member states have the political will to agree on this treaty faster, then it is doable by May 2024.” He shared areas of focus towards operationalising equity within the instrument.

Jamal added, “We cannot wait. There are looming pandemics which we are completely unprepared for and if we do not tackle activities that drive outbreaks, we will continue to put humans and animals at risk. A paradigm shift in the way we treat animals should be at the very heart of a new global way of thinking on public health.”

The importance of following a One health approach to tackling global health challenges like pandemics was echoed by high level government speakers at the opening ceremony from keynote speakers such as Minister of Health and Family Welfare of India Dr. Bharati Parvin Pawar, Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Jamal concluded, “One Health and prevention at source should be treated as the key pillar of the agreement, instead of limiting them to single articles because prevention through a One Health approach offers a holistic and transformative pathway and the best chance to achieving equity and averting the spillover of dangerous diseases to vulnerable communities, if fully integrated into the instrument.”

Background

The World Health Summit took place in Berlin, Germany and online from 15-17 October under the theme "A Defining Year for Global Health Action".

Central topics at the World Health Summit 2023 included:

• learning from COVID-19 for future pandemic prevention;
• preparedness and response;
• recommitting to universal health coverage;
• sustainable health for people and planet;
• G7/G20 measures to enhance global health equity and security;
• harnessing the power of digital technologies for global health;
• the World Health Organization’s 75th anniversary; and
• innovations to accelerate the fight against tuberculosis.