The Global Health Security Index came in for some deserved ridicule in 2020 when it declared the US health system as the best-prepared for a pandemic. But its latest report heaps scorn back on almost everyone, especially wealthy nations. As we stumble into the third year of this pandemic, such failure to prepare is inexcusable. An excerpt from its latest Report & Data:
Overall Finding
Although many countries were able to quickly develop capacities to address COVID-19, all countries remain dangerously unprepared for meeting future epidemic and pandemic threats. A great opportunity exists, however, to make new capacities more durable to further long-term gains in preparedness.
Additional Findings
Most countries, including high-income nations, have not made dedicated financial investments in strengthening epidemic or pandemic preparedness.
• The overall average score for national-level financing is 35.2 out of 100.
• 90 countries have not fulfilled their full commitment to contribute to the WHO; of those, 14 are high-income countries.
• 66 countries have not identified special emergency public financing mechanisms and funds that the country can access in the face of a public health emergency; of those, 32 are high-income countries.
• 155 countries have not allocated nonemergency national funds within the past three years to improve their capacity to address epidemic threats; among those, only two low-income countries have evidence of allocated funds.
• The average score for national financing for epidemic preparedness is 21 out of 100; low-income countries have an average score of 7 out of 100.
• Financing for emergency response has a global average score of 66.
• High-income countries have the lowest average score of 46; low-income countries have the highest average, with 93.
• Only four countries (Eritrea, Indonesia, Liberia, and Timor-Leste) have a JEE or NAPHS that describes specific funding from the national budget to address previously identified gaps.
• High-income and upper-middle-income countries receive the lowest scores for financing when reviewed under the JEE and OIE Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway assessments and related to financing for emergency response.
• The average score for financing under the JEE and PVS report is 1 out of 100; this score reflects the provisions for funding IHR implementation through the national budget or other mechanisms.
