February 6 2023 – ‘EU COVI committee evaluates the resilience of international supply chains of vaccines’ – LINK – the COVI Special Committee met with experts to hear on the resilience of supply chains of vaccines and critical medical goods, and the question of health-related EU strategic autonomy. The resilience of vaccines supply chains has proved to be a major challenge for the international community, in both public and private spheres, to respond to the pandemic by being able to provide vaccines as needed in terms of quantities and qualities.
February 3 2023 – ‘WHO keeps highest COVID-19 alert level in place’ – LINK – The World Health Organization (WHO) says that COVID-19 continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern, its highest form of alert. The pandemic was likely at a “transition point” that continues to need careful management, the agency added.
February 3 2023 ‘World must prepare better for future pandemics, says IFRC’ – LINK – The world is not prepared for future pandemics, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). In its World Disasters Report 2022, the IFRC says “all countries remain dangerously unprepared for future outbreaks,” despite COVID-19 killing more people than any earthquake, drought or hurricane in history. The IFRC also recommends that countries increase domestic health finance by 1% of gross domestic product and global health finance by at least $15 billion per year, which Chapagain described as a “good investment to make”. “The important thing is there has to be a political will to commit to that,” he said. “If it is there, it’s possible.”