PD 04 - Transformational Partnerships for Global Pandemic Preparedness and Response

COVID-19 has demonstrated that the world was not adequately prepared to respond to a global health security threat. The pandemic continues to severely impact lives, the global economy, and has set progress in combating other major infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis back by decades. COVID-19 has exposed the major health inequities between and within countries, and the need for equitable access to diagnostics, care, medical devices and vaccines. But the response to the pandemic has also seen unprecedented multisectoral collaboration. These new collaborations should be nourished, and lessons learned should inform preparedness in the future. The world has the ability to respond quickly to pandemic threats if the resources and collaborations between the governments, multilateral organizations, civil society and the private sector are already in place. This panel discussion brings together high-level stakeholders from these sectors to reflect on the COVID-19 response and what lessons can be learned from collaboration in global health to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response.