Pandemic funds
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Pakistan's launch of an $18.7 million project under the global Pandemic Fund marks a promising step toward fortifying its fragile health security systems. The project, backed by the WHO, FAO and ADB, is commendable for its adoption of the "One Health" approach — a model that acknowledges the deep interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. In a country where zoonotic diseases are on the rise and antimicrobial resistance is becoming a silent crisis, such integration is necessary.
By setting up One Health Units nationwide, Pakistan is attempting to move beyond its traditionally reactive stance on public health crises. These units are expected to enhance disease surveillance and strengthen early warning systems, all while promoting data sharing across sectors. The focus on embedded governance frameworks and workforce training is particularly noteworthy, suggesting a departure from short-term project thinking toward system-wide resilience. However, ambition must meet accountability.
Historically, funds for public health have either remained under-utilised or suffered from bureaucratic inertia. Pakistan's healthcare infrastructure, especially at district and provincial levels, remains underdeveloped and underfunded — a gap this initiative must directly confront. Moreover, for One Health Units to succeed, collaboration across ministries — of health, agriculture and climate — must be institutionalised, not limited to symbolic presence at launch events. Without clear inter-ministerial coordination and proper follow-through, this effort risks becoming yet another pilot project that fails to scale.
This pandemic fund offers Pakistan a rare opportunity to strengthen its national health security before the next crisis arrives. But it must be treated as more than a donor-driven initiative. Transparency and government commitment are essential if Pakistan truly wants to future-proof itself against the crises of tomorrow.
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Express Tribune
15 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pandemic funds
Listen to article Pakistan's launch of an $18.7 million project under the global Pandemic Fund marks a promising step toward fortifying its fragile health security systems. The project, backed by the WHO, FAO and ADB, is commendable for its adoption of the "One Health" approach — a model that acknowledges the deep interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. In a country where zoonotic diseases are on the rise and antimicrobial resistance is becoming a silent crisis, such integration is necessary. By setting up One Health Units nationwide, Pakistan is attempting to move beyond its traditionally reactive stance on public health crises. These units are expected to enhance disease surveillance and strengthen early warning systems, all while promoting data sharing across sectors. The focus on embedded governance frameworks and workforce training is particularly noteworthy, suggesting a departure from short-term project thinking toward system-wide resilience. However, ambition must meet accountability. Historically, funds for public health have either remained under-utilised or suffered from bureaucratic inertia. Pakistan's healthcare infrastructure, especially at district and provincial levels, remains underdeveloped and underfunded — a gap this initiative must directly confront. Moreover, for One Health Units to succeed, collaboration across ministries — of health, agriculture and climate — must be institutionalised, not limited to symbolic presence at launch events. Without clear inter-ministerial coordination and proper follow-through, this effort risks becoming yet another pilot project that fails to scale. This pandemic fund offers Pakistan a rare opportunity to strengthen its national health security before the next crisis arrives. But it must be treated as more than a donor-driven initiative. Transparency and government commitment are essential if Pakistan truly wants to future-proof itself against the crises of tomorrow.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
$18.7m pandemic response launched
Pakistan has launched the implementation of a $18.7 million project under the pandemic fund to strengthen its pandemic preparedness and response systems. Supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the initiative will establish "One Health Units" across the country through a coordinated approach linking human, animal, and environmental health sectors. Led by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and supported by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the initiative emphasises the urgent need for integrated action across human, animal, and environmental health systems. The launch event, held in Islamabad, brought together over 70 stakeholders, including senior government officials from the ministries of health, food security, and climate change, as well as representatives from provincial authorities and development partners. "The pandemic fund presents a critical opportunity for countries like Pakistan to bolster their national health security. The integration of the One Health approach will enable us to build resilient systems that can detect and respond to complex health threats, including zoonotic spillovers and antimicrobial resistance," said Dr Shabana Saleem, Director General of Health. Pakistan's strategy aligns with the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and the International Health Regulations (IHR), prioritizing the One Health approach to address the fact that over 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans originate from animals — risks further exacerbated by climate change and growing antimicrobial resistance. The One Health Units will strengthen coordinated disease surveillance, early warning systems, cross-sectoral data sharing, laboratory capacity, and workforce training. These units will be embedded within existing government systems and guided by clear mandates and governance frameworks. "The pandemic fund allows us to move from planning to action, from commitment to coordination," said Florence Rolle, FAO Representative in Pakistan. "It provides a chance to operationalize long-standing goals for zoonotic disease control, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance management." Dr Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan, emphasized the urgency of the effort: "The Covid pandemic was a stark reminder that building stronger health systems is no longer optional. The WHO is committed to working alongside Pakistan and its partners to save lives when the next health threat emerges." In addition to the $18.7 million from the Pandemic Fund, the initiative has mobilized $4.1 million in co-financing and $49.7 million in co-investment, underscoring strong national and international commitment to building a safer, healthier future.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
WHO says all Covid origin theories still open
All hypotheses on how the Covid-19 pandemic began remain open, the World Health Organization said Friday, following an inconclusive four-year investigation that was hamstrung by crucial information being withheld. The global catastrophe killed an estimated 20 million people, according to the WHO, while shredding economies, crippling health systems and turning people's lives upside-down. The first cases were detected in Wuhan in China in late 2019, and understanding where the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid came from is key to preventing future pandemics. However, a lengthy investigation launched by the UN's health agency said that pending further data, the origin of Covid and how it first spread remains elusive. "As things stand, all hypotheses must remain on the table, including zoonotic spillover and lab leak," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, referring to the two main hypotheses as to how the pandemic began. An initial WHO-Chinese joint report in March 2021 concluded that the virus most likely jumped from bats to humans via an intermediate animal. It deemed a leak from Wuhan's virology laboratories — known for their research on coronaviruses — to be "extremely unlikely". However, that investigation faced harsh criticism for lacking transparency and access, and for not seriously evaluating the lab-leak theory. Tedros launched another investigation, setting up the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), comprising 27 international experts, in July 2021. Their 78-page report was published on Friday.
