Defining the First P in PPPR – Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness Response
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As the global health community seeks to bolster its defenses against future pandemics, an essential question persists: what exactly is a pandemic? This question stands at the forefront of discussions shaping the Pandemic Accord, a historic agreement under negotiation at the World Health Organization (WHO).
For decades, the term “pandemic” has been used extensively in public and scientific discourse, yet it lacks a formal definition in key frameworks such as the International Health Regulations (IHR). Instead, global health governance has relied on terms like “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), defined as an event posing a public health risk through international disease spread, requiring coordinated global response. However, as pandemics evolve in complexity – fueled by climate change, globalization, and antimicrobial resistance – the need for a precise and universally accepted definition grows ever more critical.
A Fragmented Understanding
The pandemic question also raises strategic and financial stakes. The Global Fund, long active in combating diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, has employed a case-by-case approach to pandemic response. Its recent strategy integrates pandemic preparedness into broader health systems investments across more than 100 countries. Conversely, the Pandemic Fund – a newer entity – has adopted a narrower definition, emphasizing sudden, wide-reaching outbreaks.
Such variations underscore a broader concern: without a shared understanding of what constitutes a pandemic, the fight against global infectious diseases risks becoming fragmented, creating inefficiencies and potential gaps in preparedness.
The Path Forward
Friends Europe is calling on the Pandemic Accord to establish a comprehensive pandemic definition. We propose criteria based on geographic spread, exceptional health and societal impact, and the necessity of international cooperation. Notably, the definition must encompass “older” pandemics like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, not just novel, fast-spreading threats. Recognizing pandemics as part of an infectious disease continuum could foster better alignment between institutions and close critical gaps in global health financing and governance.
A unified definition promises to streamline global health efforts and clarify how stakeholders – from the Global Fund to the Pandemic Fund – can collaborate within the PPPR framework.
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Picture: Opening of the tenth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) for a WHO instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response on 16 July 2024 at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. @WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie