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WHO chief calls for sustained action, investment to prepare for future pandemics
NEW YORK, 26th September, 2026 (WAM) -- Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has called for sustained action and investment to strengthen global preparedness for future pandemics, warning that the lessons of COVID-19 must translate into stronger national and international health systems.Addressing the second United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, Dr Tedros said the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed and exacerbated weaknesses in global health security and demonstrated the need for urgent and measurable action."The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated the fault lines of global health security, and taught the world many painful lessons," he said."The political commitment shown today reflects those lessons, and includes important commitments to concrete, measurable and urgent action to build and strengthen local and national capacities, to invest in resilient health systems, and to expand equitable access to products, tools and resources."WHO said COVID-19 was linked to more than 20 million excess deaths between 2020 and 2023 and wiped more than US$10 trillion from the global economy.Dr Tedros stressed that continued investment was essential to sustain progress made in recent years and strengthen the world's ability to detect, prepare for and respond to future pandemic threats.The meeting also highlighted progress in international health cooperation, including the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).Countries further underlined the need to conclude negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing system, which is intended to support the timely sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential and equitable access to vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and other health products.
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