Pandemic preparedness: Global spending needs 500 years to match COVID-19 rout

News: Global Preparedness Monitoring Board(GPMB) has released a report titled “A World in Disorder”

Facts:

• About the report: It is an annual report first published by GPMB in 2019.
• Purpose of report: The report calls for urgent actions to strengthen the current response to COVID-19 and better prepare the world for future pandemics and health emergencies to bring order out of catastrophe and chaos.

Key Takeaways:

• The world will take 500 years to spend on preparing for pandemics as much as the loss being driven by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• It has recommended five urgent actions to be taken in order to prevent the next pandemic: a) responsible leadership b) engaged citizenship, c) strong and agile systems for health security d) sustained investment and e) robust global governance for preparedness.

Additional Facts:

• Global Preparedness Monitoring Board: It is a joint arm of the WHO and the World Bank.
• Mandate: To apprise key policymakers and the world of system-wide progress towards increased preparedness and response capacity for disease outbreaks and other emergencies with health consequences.