Dive Brief:
- A new U.N. report says the World Health Organization (WHO) must make reforms to establish an effective emergency response to health crises.
- Written by a panel of global health experts, the report said, "If the WHO does not successfully reform, the next major pandemic will cause thousands of otherwise preventable deaths."
- There is additional pressure on the organization with the Zika virus reported in 33 countries with the potential to hit the U.S. this spring as the mosquito population thrives in the warmer weather.
Dive Insight:
The U.N. report reflects the health expert panel's study of the global response to health crises, especially in light of the WHO's "slow and inadequate" response to the Ebola outbreak, according to The Guardian. The report was not specifically about the shortcomings of handling the Ebola pandemic but stresses the need for new systems to fight and detect new health threats.
Specific report recommendations include a call for a WHO Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, with "real command and control capacity" and the necessary technology to identify, track, and respond to an emerging threat. In addition, countries will need to report on their compliance to WHO health regulations annually with regular reviews.
More money will be needed. The report suggests all countries increase their WHO funding by 10% and put $300 million aside for a contingency emergency fund. An additional $1 billion fund will be needed for vaccine, drug, and diagnostic development.