In an effort to help countries better prepare for future pandemics, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently launched a new initiative that provides guidelines on integrated planning for responding to any respiratory infection, such as influenza or coronaviruses, even though cases of Covid-related death have dropped by 95%.

The effort, known as the Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats effort (PRET), includes the most recent tools and methodologies for shared learning and collective action developed during the COVID19 pandemic and other recent public health events.

Through the initiative, WHO said that it will use a transmission mode approach to guide countries to plan for pandemics as many capacities and capabilities are common among groups of pathogens.

According to the UN Health Agency,  PRET  responds to the World Health Assembly's need for technical aid and assistance in promoting and improving integrated preparedness and response. 

Pointing out that the COVID pandemic and other health emergencies have shown that countries need to be operationally ready to respond to infectious disease threats, with tailored preparedness plans in hand, WHO said that the countries need better coordination and collaboration with other sectors such as agriculture.

Launching the initiative in Geneva Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said, “Preparedness, prevention, and response activities must not be the province of the health sector alone.”

“Just as health emergencies have impacts across many sectors, so must our preparedness and response efforts span sectors, disciplines and pathogens,” he added.

“It is critical, too, that community engagement and equity are the centres of our efforts, especially for those populations that are marginalised and most at risk,” he further added.

PRET initiative launch, which follows a three-day meeting involving representatives and partners from 120 nations with the WHO secretariat in Geneva recently, is an evolution in WHO’s approach to pandemic preparedness through the application of a mode of transmission lens, rather than a focus on specific diseases.

The UN Health Agency said that it will continue to develop and disseminate guidance on specific diseases as needed.

Calling for action, WHO, Member States, and partners said they are working together to identify and implement priority actions to strengthen national, regional, and global preparedness for pandemics and emerging infectious disease threats. We recognise the role of communities and all sectors and the need for harmonised and sustained momentum to end the cycle of panic and neglect that is all too common in pandemic preparedness and response. 

“We recall lessons from previous epidemics and pandemics, especially those caused by respiratory pathogens. These pathogens have and will continue to pose a significant global threat with the potential to cause tremendous morbidity and mortality, overwhelm health systems, de-stabilise the global economy, and exacerbate inequities, which exist in the access to both the tools to prevent pandemics and health care for all people,” a statement released recently read.  

The initiative urged governments to update preparedness plans to confirm priority actions based on lessons learned from previous events, increase connectivity among stakeholders, and establish dedicated sustained investments, financing, and monitoring of pandemic preparedness, with a particular emphasis on addressing gaps identified during previous pandemics and epidemics.

Pointing out that the COVID virus is here to stay, and all countries will need to learn to manage it alongside other infectious diseases, Dr Tedros said, “The new SPRP will support countries to make that transition. Even as we support countries to respond to COVID19, we are also working to keep the world safer against future epidemics and pandemics.”