acf domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/inrae/wordrpress-prezode/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121The first projects financed by the Pandemic Fund are successfully uniting agencies and ministries across sectors as well as fostering community engagement. Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund, draws up an initial assessment of the Fund\u2019s work, two years after its launch.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pandemic Fund, established in November 2022 with support from the G20 and the broader international community, is the first multilateral financing mechanism dedicated to investing in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in low- and middle-income countries. It was created in response to lessons from COVID-19, as well as past pandemics, which have highlighted the need for sustained investments to prevent future pandemics effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The costs of preparedness are minimal compared to the devastating economic and human toll of uncontained outbreaks\u2014COVID-19 alone caused trillions in GDP losses and millions of lives lost. The fund’s rationale emphasizes that prevention is better than cure, as the saying \u201can ounce of Prevention Is worth a pound of cure.\u201d Rapid detection and containment are critical to reducing risks and minimizing both lives lost and economic impact. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Central to our work is the One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment. This approach, embraced by PREZODE, along with the need to prevent zoonotic disease emergence, also underpins the Pandemic Fund’s mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pandemic Fund projects integrate the One Health perspective across activities such as surveillance, laboratory upgrades, and workforce training. We are fostering a holistic and integrated response to pandemic threats worldwide through 47 projects across 75 countries. This includes ensuring countries have surge capacity\u2014trained health workforces, scalable laboratories, and adaptable surveillance systems\u2014to respond effectively to outbreaks. For example, veterinary and human labs are being upgraded and connected to ensure coordinated efforts. Workforce development extends beyond doctors and nurses to include veterinarians, animal health workers, and livestock farmers, equipping them to prevent, detect, and manage zoonotic outbreaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pandemic Fund’s first two rounds of funding focus on enhancing national, regional, and global capacities in early warning systems, surveillance, laboratory networks, and workforce development. A key observation from the first two calls is the operationalization of the “One Health” approach, from a theoretical concept to practical action at the country or regional level. This involves uniting agencies and ministries across sectors\u2014health, finance, environment, agriculture, and animal husbandry\u2014into cohesive, all-of-government initiatives. Projects also foster community engagement, partnering with civil society to drive behavioral changes, such as reducing stigma around disease reporting or addressing vaccine hesitancy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar projects emphasize multi-sectoral cooperation, engaging international agencies like FAO, WHO, UNICEF, and development banks to address gaps in veterinary and animal health expertise. In our Annual Report<\/a>, you can read, for instance, about the training project \u201cPrioritizing zoonotic diseases in field epidemiology \u201d in Bhutan or on programs that engage with communities such as the \u201cTogo Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response Strengthening Project\u201d, or \u201cUnderstanding Gender Roles and Supporting Women in Yemen\u2019s Livestock Sector and Beyond\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another highlight is the multiplier effect of our grants. For every dollar we provide, an additional six dollars are leveraged from international partners and domestic governments. This is tracked through co-financing and co-investment commitments outlined in project proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pandemic Fund focuses on investing during \u201cpeacetime\u201d to strengthen capacities for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Recent outbreaks have underscored the importance of this work. When Mpox was declared a public health emergency in mid-2024, the Pandemic Fund acted swiftly. Leveraging projects submitted during its second funding call earlier in the year, the board fast-tracked $129 million to address gaps identified in the joint WHO-Africa CDC Mpox Continental Plan for Preparedness and Response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This funding supports 10 affected countries through five projects. These initiatives focus on scaling up surveillance, diagnostics, and vaccine deployment while addressing immediate outbreak needs. Importantly, these efforts align with the fund\u2019s broader goals of building sustainable, long-term capacity. For example, vaccinators trained for Mpox can respond to future vaccination needs, and upgraded laboratories enhance diagnostic capabilities for various diseases. It is crucial: we don’t know what the next outbreak is going to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By connecting immediate outbreak responses to long-term capacity-building, the Pandemic Fund ensures investments yield both immediate benefits and lasting resilience against future health threats<\/strong><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The third call announcement<\/a> was published on December 19, 2024. This call will be launched in two phases\u2014the first phase will be open to single and multi-country proposals in March 2025; the second phase will open in June 2025 to Regional Entity proposals. Particular attention should be paid to four underlying themes\u2014One Health, community and civil society engagement, and gender and health equity\u2014as well as investments in strengthening two cross-cutting enablers\u2014National Public Health Institutes (or other public institutions) and regional or global networks, organizations, or hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As partners prepare proposals, they should prioritize collaboration, coordination, and multi-sectoral engagement while seeking additional funding sources to blend with Pandemic Fund grants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By connecting immediate outbreak responses to long-term capacity-building, the Pandemic Fund ensures investments yield both immediate benefits and lasting resilience against future health threats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Priya Basu was appointed as the inaugural Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund at the World Bank in September 2022. During the pandemic, she led the\u00a0Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0to address key bottlenecks in vaccine access and delivery,\u00a0as well as the Bank\u2019s engagement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response with the\u00a0G20<\/a>\u00a0and G7 – coordinating across finance and health. She also led the development of the Pandemic Fund, working with a large group of donors and development partners, the WHO, and other stakeholders, including international agencies, philanthropies, private sector, and civil society,\u00a0mobilizing political and financial support to establish the fund in record time with initial seed capital of $2 billion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read her full bio: https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/about\/people\/p\/priya-basu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What was the context behind the establishment of the Pandemic Fund?<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The values of the Pandemic Fund and PREZODE are closely aligned. How do you incorporate the One Health approach into your work?<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Two years after the Pandemic Fund\u2019s launch, which main achievements would you underscore?<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the specific case of the 2024 Mpox outbreak, what did the Pandemic Fund implement to respond to the crisis and to reinforce prevention?<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What are the main expectations of the Pandemic Fund for countries and organizations applying for financing in its third call for proposals?<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Priya Basu Bio<\/summary>\n