The Daily Examiner.

As global headlines continue to center on war zones, inflation, and political unrest, the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm on a looming danger many have already forgotten: the next global pandemic.

Speaking at an international health security meeting this week, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered a sobering message. The Covid-19 pandemic now seems like a distant memory, overtaken by conflict and geopolitical and economic disruption,” he said. “But the next pandemic will not wait for calm.

His words come as negotiations intensify over a proposed Pandemic Agreement—an international pact designed to strengthen countries’ preparedness and coordination in the face of future global health emergencies.

A Threat with Devastating Potential

Tedros emphasized that the risks of another global health crisis are not hypothetical.

It’s not a question of if,” he stated, “but when.

According to the WHO chief, the next outbreak could be even more devastating than COVID-19—costing more lives and causing deeper economic damage than even large-scale wars.

The COVID-19 crisis, while recent, is already fading from public and political memory, he said, but its lessons are more relevant than ever.

The Pandemic Agreement aims to ensure that governments and health agencies can respond faster and more effectively when—not if—a new outbreak emerges.

Among its key goals are improving data sharing, strengthening supply chains, investing in vaccines and diagnostics, and coordinating international responses.

Tedros’s speech was both a call to action and a reminder of the fragility of our global health systems.

“The global alert system is under pressure,” he noted, alluding to how the world’s focus has shifted toward war and economic instability, while investment in pandemic preparedness has lagged.