What is Next for Global Health Emergencies?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has documented a significant increase in global health emergencies in recent years, highlighting the need for a strengthened, well-funded, and more coordinated health emergency response. However, declining budgets, fragmentation and the U.S. notice to withdraw from WHO have implications for WHO’s and other health emergency actors’ capacities to respond to global health emergencies. Reductions in funding have resulted in cuts to respective programs and broader consequences such as a reduced availability of data, intelligence, and technical health expertise. These developments raise questions about how to sustain an effective and resilient global health emergency architecture that is capable of addressing future health threats.

This session explores what strategies are underway to navigate these challenges and to enable an effective national, regional and global response to public health emergencies. It will explore the implications of the WHO's strategic reform process for its health emergencies programs and the organization’s current and future role in health emergency response within humanitarian settings. Panelists will discuss the role of national, regional and global actors and networks: How can synergies be enhanced and duplication be avoided? The session will explore whether the current health emergency architecture is still fit for purpose and what concrete next steps are necessary to ensure its effectiveness and resilience.