World leaders and senior health officials gathered at the United Nations on Friday for the second UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR), focusing on strengthening the world’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to future pandemics and other public-health emergencies.
The meeting follows the first high level meeting on pandemic preparedness held in 2023, following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2026 meeting focuses on equity, international cooperation and long term investment in pandemic preparedness.
A key outcome of the meeting is a political declaration negotiated by UN Member States. The declaration is intended to renew political commitment and encourage concrete action at national, regional and international levels.
Focus on Health Systems and Early Warning
- Participants are discussing the need to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency preparedness, healthcare workforces and community level health services.
- Another major focus is ensuring timely and equitable access to vaccines, treatments, diagnostic tools and other essential medical products during future health emergencies. Sustainable financing for pandemic preparedness is also being emphasized.
- WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the importance of maintaining political commitment and investment in preparedness. He also pointed to lessons from COVID-19, which exposed weaknesses in global health security and demonstrated the need for stronger international coordination.
- UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed, speaking on behalf of Secretary General António Guterres, also called for continued progress on work under the WHO Pandemic Agreement, including the proposed system for sharing pathogens and ensuring equitable access to products developed from them.
Global Cooperation Remains Central
- The UN meeting emphasizes that pandemic preparedness cannot be treated only as a health sector issue. Governments, international organizations, scientists, communities and other stakeholders are being encouraged to work together before the next major outbreak occurs.
- The political declaration is intended to translate lessons from COVID-19 and other health emergencies into longer-term action, including stronger health systems, improved disease surveillance, sustainable financing and more equitable access to medical tools.
- The high level meeting is being held on September 25, 2026, as part of the UN General Assembly High Level Week.
