WHO Urges Countries to Prepare Before the Next Health Emergency

The next global health emergency may not give countries much time to prepare.

That is why World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called on BRICS leaders to strengthen health emergency preparedness before the next crisis arrives.

Speaking at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Tedros highlighted the need for countries to build stronger and more resilient health systems, direct innovation toward underserved populations, deepen international cooperation and secure sustainable financing for health.

His message comes as global health systems continue to face threats from infectious diseases, climate related emergencies, humanitarian crises and disruptions to essential supplies.

Preparedness Cannot Begin After an Emergency Starts

One of the central messages from the WHO chief was simple: countries need to build resilience before an emergency occurs.

The COVID 19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly a health crisis can cross borders and place enormous pressure on hospitals, healthcare workers, laboratories and supply chains.

Preparing in advance means strengthening surveillance systems, developing emergency response capacity, maintaining essential medical supplies and ensuring that healthcare workers can respond rapidly when a new threat emerges.

Preparedness is therefore not simply about responding faster. It is about creating systems that are strong enough to absorb a crisis without allowing routine healthcare to collapse.

Four Priorities for BRICS Countries

Tedros outlined four key areas for BRICS leaders: strengthening preparedness, directing innovation toward underserved areas, deepening cooperation and securing sustainable financing for health.

These priorities are particularly relevant for emerging economies, where healthcare systems often have to manage large populations while dealing with unequal access to technology, infrastructure and specialist services.

The emphasis on underserved communities is also significant. Health innovation can only have a meaningful public health impact when new tools, treatments and technologies reach the people who need them most.

Innovation Must Reach the Underserved

Healthcare technology is developing rapidly, from artificial intelligence and advanced diagnostics to digital health platforms and new vaccines.

But innovation alone does not guarantee better health outcomes.

The WHO is calling for innovation to be directed toward populations that remain underserved. This means considering affordability, accessibility, infrastructure and the realities of healthcare delivery in low resource settings.

A sophisticated medical technology that remains available only in a handful of major cities cannot address a global health emergency on its own.

The future of health innovation therefore needs to combine technological advancement with accessibility.

International Cooperation Is Essential

Health emergencies rarely respect national borders.

An infectious disease detected in one country can quickly become a regional or global concern. Supply chain disruptions can affect medicines and medical equipment across continents. Climate related disasters can create humanitarian and healthcare challenges that require international support.

This makes cooperation essential.

BRICS countries have been increasing their collaboration on health, and the 2026 summit also highlighted initiatives around infectious disease early warning and broader resilience. India proposed a BRICS Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases as part of the bloc’s health and resilience agenda.

Such systems could help countries identify emerging threats earlier and share information more effectively.

Early Warning Could Change Outbreak Response

One of the biggest advantages of modern public health systems is the ability to detect health threats before they become widespread.

Disease surveillance, laboratory networks, digital reporting systems and data analysis can provide early signals of unusual disease activity.

An integrated early warning approach could help countries identify emerging outbreaks, assess risks and coordinate responses more quickly.

The objective is not simply to collect more data. It is to convert information into action.

The earlier a potential threat is recognised, the greater the opportunity to contain it.

Sustainable Financing Cannot Be Ignored

Preparedness requires long term investment.

Hospitals need infrastructure. Laboratories need equipment. Healthcare workers need training. Surveillance systems require continuous operation. Emergency stockpiles need regular maintenance and replacement.

These systems cannot be built effectively through temporary funding that disappears once an emergency is over.

Tedros therefore also emphasised the importance of sustainable financing for health.

For developing and emerging economies, predictable investment can be particularly important because health systems often have to balance emergency preparedness with everyday healthcare needs.

Building Resilient Health Systems

Emergency preparedness should not be treated as a separate activity from routine healthcare.

A strong health system that provides primary care, vaccination, maternal and child health services, disease surveillance and reliable hospital care is also better positioned to withstand emergencies.

Resilience means having enough trained healthcare professionals, functioning laboratories, reliable supply chains and effective communication systems before a crisis begins.

The investment therefore delivers benefits even when there is no emergency.

BRICS Can Play a Larger Role

The expanded BRICS grouping represents a significant share of the world’s population and includes countries with very different healthcare systems, economic conditions and public health priorities.

That diversity can make cooperation complicated, but it also creates opportunities for sharing experiences and developing solutions suited to the needs of the Global South.

The 2026 BRICS Summit in New Delhi placed resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability at the centre of its broader agenda.

Health cooperation can become an important part of that agenda, particularly in areas such as infectious disease surveillance, vaccine access, medical technology, research and emergency response.

The Next Pandemic Will Test What Countries Build Today

No country can predict exactly when or where the next major health emergency will emerge.

What countries can control is how prepared they are when it happens.

The lessons from COVID 19, along with ongoing outbreaks and other health emergencies, have demonstrated the cost of delayed action.

Preparedness therefore needs to move from being an emergency response activity to becoming a permanent part of health policy.