Kenya among counties warned of weak pandemic defenses as new report flags growing risks

A new global warning has raised concern that Kenya and other countries remain exposed to the risk of a future pandemic, with health systems still not strong enough to handle another major outbreak despite lessons learned from Covid-19.

The warning is contained in a report that says the world is becoming more vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks due to political divisions, falling international support, climate-related disruption and unequal access to vaccines and medicines.

Released during the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the report, A World on the Edge: Priorities for a Pandemic-Resilient Future, says countries are still failing to invest enough in preparedness even as disease threats continue to grow.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is representing Kenya at the meeting.

The report notes that outbreaks are becoming more frequent and more severe, while global readiness efforts are not keeping pace with the risks.

It states that the world has not become safer despite past health emergencies.

“A decade after Ebola exposed dangerous gaps in outbreak preparedness and six years after Covid-19 turned those gaps into a global catastrophe the evidence is clear the world is not safer from pandemics,” the report says.

It warns that global instability, including political tensions and weakened cooperation between countries, is making it harder to respond effectively to future health emergencies.

The report was issued by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, an independent body created after the Ebola outbreak in West Africa by the World Health Organization and the World Bank.

The warning comes as parts of East Africa continue to deal with Ebola outbreaks, with about 130 deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

For Kenya, the findings bring back memories of the Covid-19 period when hospitals struggled with oxygen shortages, families lost income and schools remained closed for months. The country also faced delays in accessing vaccines as wealthier nations secured early supplies.

The report further highlights inequality in access to vaccines and treatment as a major weakness in global response systems.

It notes that vaccine rollout in poorer countries remains slow during outbreaks, with mpox vaccines reaching affected low-income nations nearly two years after the outbreak began.

Experts say efforts introduced after Covid-19 to strengthen preparedness are losing momentum due to reduced international funding, climate pressures, geopolitical tensions and increased global movement of people.

Development assistance has also dropped significantly, weakening health systems in vulnerable countries.

The report calls for a permanent global system to monitor outbreaks, stronger funding for preparedness and fair access to vaccines, tests and treatment under a proposed global agreement.

“If trust and cooperation continue to fracture, every country will be more exposed when the next pandemic strikes. Preparedness is not only a technical challenge it is a test of political leadership,” said GPMB Co-Chair Joy Phumaphi.

The report also warns that pandemics leave lasting damage beyond health, including weakening public trust and increasing misinformation that continues long after outbreaks end.

“The world does not lack solutions,” said GPMB co-chair Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.