GPMB co-chair Elhadj As Sy, my brother
Victor Dzau,
Jeremy Farrar,
Members of the GPMB and others who joined virtually,
Ilona,
And our host, Björn Kümmel,
And also, I would like to welcome the two next panellists and my co-convenor also the Bank, Juan Pablo, and also Ayoade,
Excellencies, colleagues and friends,
The new report from the GPMB is a brave report, the kind that could only be produced by real veterans in the field.
It takes courage and experience to say we do not need new recommendations, because the previous recommendations out there were good ones, and they still have not been fulfilled.
This is not a new problem, as they have already said, and we have actually been on the same page on many occasions.
In fact, one of the first major speeches I gave after assuming the role of Director-General was at Columbia University in 2017, when I reminded the audience of the often-forgotten 1918 influenza pandemic, and warned that the world was not prepared for another one.
Following from this, in 2018, WHO and the World Bank came together to form the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board.
Of course, we did not know when the next global crisis would arise, or what it would be. But we knew it would come eventually, and that the world was not ready, and urgent action was needed.
The first GPMB report, released in September 2019, months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, presciently identified many of the challenges that we faced during the last two years.
These included the areas of political leadership and commitment; health system readiness; trust with communities; and international cooperation.
The second GPMB report, released in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, incorporated hard-won insights, with calls for predictable and sustained financing; equitable access for vaccines and other life-saving tools; and global governance for preparedness.
Now, as this third report is released, in some countries, there appears to be a view that the pandemic is over. It’s not.
If we do not continue to suppress transmission and equitably distribute vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, the pandemic will be drawn out even further, bringing needless suffering and death.
This is a critical juncture, as the world’s attention turns to other issues. During one of the first GPMB meetings, I mentioned the old saying, the time to fix the roof is before the rain comes.
For the same reason you establish a fire department or an emergency room, we cannot wait until the next emergency before we act. We cannot keep putting out fires with bucket brigades.
The GPMB asks if we have learned the lessons of this pandemic, if the world is even less prepared now than it was before COVID-19?
We must take a hard look at our weakened public health systems, the fragmentation of our global health architecture, and the crisis of trust in our scientific institutions.
This is important not only for this pandemic, but for the threats of the future.
And as this new report makes clear, it is crucial not only that we act, but that we act in a coherent, coordinated manner.
There is no room for narrow self-interest and short-term political considerations when it comes to emergency preparedness.
The report lays out concrete actions. Here are a few:
- an international agreement on preparedness and response; a strengthened WHO with sustainable funding through an increase in assessed contributions; and
- better information sharing; a collective financing mechanism; community engagement; and mutual accountability.
By the way this follows the excellent recommendations from IPPR. I think what matters now is the implementation.
My friends, future generations will judge us not by the crises we faced, but on how we reacted to them, and the actions we took to prevent and prepare for the challenges of the future.
So, as I started with two words, I will leave you with two requests: let’s listen and let’s act.
It is within our power to do things differently this time, by coming together to take the smart, coherent, and long-term actions that will keep us all safer.
I thank you again for this opportunity and thank you for your hard work. I look forward to working with you closely.
Thank you so much for you dedication, to you As Sy, and also to Gro, who just left us because she wants another challenge maybe to take on. And also thank you to all members of the GPMB, and of course Ian Smith, my friend.
Thank you so much.