World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has sounded a warning about the world’s preparedness for the next pandemic, asserting that it’s not a matter of if, but when a new pathogen will emerge. Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Tedros urged global leaders to collaborate urgently and establish a treaty by May 2024 to address the impending threat.
According to a Fox News report on Saturday, February 17, 2024, Tedros dismissed allegations of a WHO power grab, emphasizing the treaty’s importance as “mission critical for humanity.” Despite some progress, he stressed the collective failure to adequately prepare for future pandemics, cautioning that the lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis could be forgotten, leading the world to “pay dearly next time.”
“Although some progress has been made, like improvements in surveillance, the Pandemic Fund, building capacities in vaccine production … the world is not prepared for a pandemic,” warned Tedros. He emphasized that the painful lessons learned during the COVID-19 crisis are in danger of being forgotten as attention turns to other global crises.
Tedros declared, “If we don’t learn those lessons, we will pay dearly next time, and there will be a next time.” He noted that history teaches that the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if, and it could be caused by an influenza virus, a new coronavirus, or an entirely unknown pathogen referred to as “Disease X,” a hypothetical pathogen that has not yet surfaced but could be more lethal than COVID-19.
Emphasizing the unpredictability of the next pandemic, Tedros urged nations to act swiftly, with just 15 weeks left to sign an international agreement on pandemic preparedness, negotiated with the involvement of the Biden administration. The proposed treaty outlines commitments by countries to strengthen global defenses with a “one health” approach, focusing on research collaboration, vaccine access, and information sharing.
While addressing differences among nations as an obstacle to consensus, Tedros expressed confidence in resolving them. He also addressed the spread of lies and conspiracy theories surrounding the agreement, categorically denying allegations of a WHO power grab, sovereignty cession, or authoritarian control.
Tedros denounced claims that the treaty would empower WHO to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates, labeling such assertions as dangerous and a risk to global health. He highlighted the false nature of these allegations, emphasizing that those spreading misinformation are either misinformed or deliberately deceptive.
