A collective failure by political leaders to heed warnings and prepare for an infectious disease pandemic has transformed "a world at risk" to a "world in disorder", according to a report on international epidemic preparedness.
The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, an independent body created by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, warns that the world is dangerously unprepared for the next pandemic.
In its annual report, the board says the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed a collective failure to take pandemic prevention, preparedness and response seriously and prioritize it accordingly.
It adds that the pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of highly interconnected economies and social systems, and the fragility of trust.