Experts Propose a Fund to Finance Responses to Future Pandemics

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response presented a report recommending the creation of an international funding mechanism that could disburse up to US$100 billion per year to address future pandemics.

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Over the past 8 months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has tasked the Independent Panel with analyzing the failures in the management of the pandemic. In its report "COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic", this high-level group of experts concluded categorically that "the current system" showed glaring deficiencies in preventing, detecting, and responding to a global epidemiological crisis.

"And if we do not act to change the system now, it will not protect us from the next pandemic threat that could occur at any time," said Helen Clark, who is the Panel's co-chair and former prime minister of New Zealand.

Proposed as a separate entity from WHO, the international funding mechanism would be overseen by the Global Health Threats Council, which would be another new institution that should be created to maintain a high political commitment to pandemic preparedness and response.

Besides pointing out that the current epidemiological crisis generated losses of some US$7 billion in 2020 alone, the Panel recalled that countries demanded much from WHO but denied it sufficient authority and funding to provide them with the expected responses.

The report, therefore, recommends replacing the system that allows countries to make conditional contributions to WHO with a model that obliges states to make mandatory contributions. Currently, two-thirds of the WHO budget is covered by voluntary contributions from countries.

The Panel also recommended that the WHO Secretary-General's term of office should be seven years but without the possibility of re-election.