Another Zoonotic Pandemic Could Loom: Insights from Former WHO Director

New Delhi, Dec 15 (NationPress) The world should be prepared for the possibility of another pandemic arising at any moment, attributed to the spillover of viruses from animals, according to Mario C.B. Raviglione, ex-Director of the Global Tuberculosis (TB) Programme at the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Raviglione emphasized that our highly interconnected world serves as a breeding ground for the rapid spread of future pandemics, similar to COVID-19.

“There is a general expectation of another pandemic. It could occur at any moment given our global connectivity,” remarked Raviglione, who is also a Full Professor of Global Health at the University of Milan, Italy.

“Italy was the initial nation in the Western world affected by COVID-19, a situation directly tied to modern transportation methods. In our interconnected global village, despite certain nations attempting to reinforce barriers, the reality is that we are still interlinked,” he stated.

He highlighted that while some countries are striving to erect barriers amid conflicts, the truth remains that we are all interconnected.

“As history has shown, any respiratory disease or virus can spread with alarming speed,” he added.

Raviglione pointed out that most newly emerging diseases are viral and primarily originate from animals, categorizing them as zoonotic diseases, akin to COVID-19.

Recent outbreaks have included COVID-19, Ebola, chikungunya, West Nile fever, the latest being mPox and H5N1 influenza—all connected to the animal kingdom in some manner.

Despite these rising threats, Raviglione lamented the insufficient preparedness among nations, which could have significant ramifications.

“Investment is crucial. However, governments often hesitate to allocate funds for preventative measures. They prefer to mobilize resources only when a disease emerges, but by then, it may be too late to avert it. Hence, the focus on preparedness is essential,” he insisted.

Raviglione proposed establishing preparedness hubs to swiftly respond to and identify new threats in their early stages. He pointed out the lack of readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic and how vaccine inequality led to significant loss of life, especially in low-income nations.

“Effective preparedness necessitates collaboration with laboratories and the pharmaceutical and biochemical sectors to rapidly develop diagnostics, not just in Europe and North America, but also in India and other countries,” he explained.

He advocated for the BRICS nations to implement mechanisms that ensure vaccine accessibility, irrespective of patent restrictions when needed.

(Rachel V Thomas can be contacted at rachel.t@ians.in)