FORUM: “Early detection, early action, healthier communities.” International Day of Epidemic Preparedness 2024. Epidemics and pandemics are some of the biggest threats to a safe and healthy world. They are on the rise, and in today’s connected world, they are spreading further and faster than ever before. Known epidemics—such as cholera, measles, Ebola, and malaria—continue to threaten large parts of the world’s population. And, as we saw with COVID-19, the world is also at risk from new infectious diseases that can claim millions of lives, bring health systems to their knees, and reverse decades of development progress. But the good news is that with effective preparedness and response measures, we can reduce the impacts of epidemics and pandemics and even stop them in their tracks. The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the need to equip the world and ensure that we are all ready to take on the health challenges to come. We must heed the lessons learnt from the recent pandemic and invest in epidemic preparedness, prevention and response to save the world from the scourge of epidemics. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #EpidemicPreparedness, #27December, #InternationalDayofEpidemicPreparedness.
EVENTS: On December 27th, the World Health Assembly (WHA) and World Health Organization (WHO) will hold a webinar to mark the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness 2024. The Secretary-General said these efforts are making progress and recalled that the High-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, concluded with a robust political declaration which complements negotiations underway towards a pandemic accord. The pandemic accord will help to create a safer and healthier world with a universal system of response to disease eruptions, he added.
Statement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the International Day of Epidemic preparedness 2024; December 27th.
COVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world. Millions of lives lost, economies shattered, health systems pushed to the brink and daily life upended for all of humanity. The crisis may have passed, but a harsh lesson remains: the world is woefully unprepared for the next pandemic. Outbreaks of mpox, cholera, polio and Marburg are startling reminders that infectious diseases remain a real and present danger to every country. On this International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, I call on countries to heed the lessons of past health emergencies to help prepare for the next. This means building resilient public and primary health care systems and making good on the promise of Universal Health Coverage. It means making bold investments in pandemic monitoring, detection and response. And it means ensuring equitable access to life-saving tools like vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. Most of all, it means global solidarity. I call on countries to deliver on the historic Pandemic Agreement to ensure the world works better, together, to prevent and contain future pandemics. Today, and every day, let’s commit to working together for a safer and healthier world for everyone, everywhere.
The United Nations Secretary-General.
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