PAHO and Africa CDC urge investment in pandemic preparedness

During the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) called for increased investment and cooperation between the Americas and Africa to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR).

Organized by Guyana and Burundi, the high-level event emphasized the need for country-led priorities and stronger regional capacities to build resilient health systems. Guyanese President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali noted that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the risks of relying on distant sources for essential medical supplies, advocating for the Global South to develop its own scientific capacity for innovation.

Simultaneously, the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) urged governments to fulfill commitments to strengthen the global health workforce. The WHPA warned that chronic understaffing and poor working conditions leave health systems ill-prepared for future emergencies. They highlighted that women comprise approximately 70% of the global health workforce and are disproportionately affected by these systemic workforce crises.