Today in New York City, heads of state are convening to consider ways to bolster the world’s defenses against future health emergencies. Today’s High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response will emphasize equity and solidarity, but the massive outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo virus, now in its fourth month, tests those promises.
Armand Mbanya, senior research fellow at the University of Yaoundé and senior technical advisor at the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat, and Luchuo Engelbert Bain, senior research scientist at the University of Oxford, argue that leaders should make concrete commitments at today’s meeting to ensure countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo can access vaccines and therapeutics when another crisis arrives. From another perspective, independent analyst Summer Galloway and CFR Senior Fellow Stephanie Psaki outline how countries can prepare their legal, financial, and operational systems to complement the Pandemic Agreement, regardless of what happens at the UN General Assembly.
To learn more about challenges facing effective pandemic preparedness and response, Think Global Health’s senior contributing editor, Katherine Leach-Kemon, spoke with two health security experts. In an interview, Suerie Moon, a professor and codirector of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, reflects on what progress the world has made in developing vaccines in emergencies—and where it falls short. Separately, Leach-Kemon had an in-depth discussion about the race by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop a successful Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine with Nicole Lurie, executive director of preparedness and response and U.S. director at CEPI.
Reflecting on another multilateral event, last week’s BRICS Summit, Animesh Roul, executive director of the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict in New Delhi, describes how India is using its role as BRICS chair to lead on preventing noncommunicable diseases.
Until next week!—Allison Krugman, Interim Managing Editor, and Katherine Leach-Kemon, Senior Contributing Editor
