World is woefully unprepared for another pandemic, experts warn

Pandemic preparedness experts have warned that initial steps to successfully tackle a future pandemic on the scale of covid-19 have slowed down and must be revitalised.

In a report published on 18 June1 a group of experts warned that world leaders were gambling with the future of their population’s health because they had failed to take the necessary action to prepare for another major outbreak.

Such outbreaks could potentially include A(H5N1) avian influenza, which is rising in mammal populations and causing new human infections, and a new form of mpox that has led to deaths of children.

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, a group of international experts who have reviewed various dimensions of the covid pandemic, have warned that initial enthusiasm to be …