WHO chief: New pandemic 'just around the corner'

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, announced that a new pandemic could occur in the world at any moment.

The head of the organization warned of this matter during his participation in the meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body held in Geneva to work on developing a draft agreement on epidemic prevention.

“As the current H5N1 (avian influenza) outbreak reminds us, the next pandemic could be just around the corner, and it could happen at any time. It won’t wait for us,” he says.

The head of the organization described the document being prepared by the body as a "generational agreement", noting the importance of the work being done by this body. He said: "Completing the negotiations this year will be a historic event." According to him, reaching a consensus on the outstanding issues is possible in a relatively short period of time.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) is meeting in Geneva on 16-17 July, its tenth meeting since 2022. The body failed to finalize the draft pandemic treaty before the 77th WHO General Assembly (27 May-1 June) this year, as originally planned, so the General Assembly decided to extend the body’s work for a year. The results of the work on the document are expected to be summarized at the 78th WHO General Assembly in May 2025 or at a special session of the Assembly, which may be held before the end of 2024.