Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

"If Not Now, When?": Pandemic Investigator Urges Reforms

"If Not Now, When?": Pandemic Investigator Urges Reforms

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response found that bad decisions, dithering and poor coordination created a "toxic cocktail" which allowed Covid-19 go on to kill at least 3.3 million people so far and upend the global economy.

One investigator behind Wednesday's explosive report highlighting the mistakes that allowed Covid-19 to flourish told AFP that urgent reform was needed to withstand future pandemic threats.

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response found that bad decisions, dithering and poor coordination created a "toxic cocktail" which allowed Covid-19 go on to kill at least 3.3 million people so far and upend the global economy.

Panel member Michel Kazatchkine, a French diplomat and former director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, called for immediate action to ensure the world must never again face a "catastrophe" like the Covid-19 crisis.

What is the aim of your report?


"From the start, we agreed that this report should be very concrete and audacious... (with the aim) that no infection cluster with pandemic potential will become a pandemic, and no pandemic, if one were to happen, will ever again become a socioeconomic catastrophe of the kind we are living through."

The report proposes significant reforms. Will the world listen?


"This has been a considerable shock. A health shock -- this epidemic is far from over -- and then there is the economic impact.

"Rich and poor countries alike have been affected. So if faced with these conditions, the world does not react and agree to cooperate to ensure that this never happens again, then what are they waiting for? In our report we say: If not now, then when?"

How did the World Health Organization's alert system perform and how should it be reformed?

"WHO's alert system is in a bit of disrepair... WHO can publish nothing without permission from the government in question.

"We propose that WHO be permitted to publish in real time all the information it has without waiting for permission from governments.

"The 194 UN member states must also allow WHO to go carry out investigations in countries where there are clusters of infection.

"In the future, there should be a political structure, a sort of permanent Security Council for big health crises. A crisis like this one teaches us that health is not just a health issue. It is also a social, economic and political issue."

How can we better handle the current pandemic?


"First, countries must enforce social distancing measures at a level that their epidemiological situation requires, and that is not something most countries are currently doing.

"The second recommendation, which is sensitive, has to do with vaccine access. Rich countries have so far pre-bought 4.3 billion doses, even though they represent just 1.16 billion people... We are asking that, as soon as they have provided reasonable vaccine coverage to their population, they organise to donate a billion vaccine doses to poorer countries by September 2021."

"Finally, we are asking the WTO (World Trade Organization) and the WHO to bring together all the vaccine-producing countries and companies to decide together on a global mechanism for voluntary licensing and technology transfer.

"If there is resistance to voluntary licensing, then we ask WTO to impose a patent waiver."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×