World Isn’t Ready For Another Pandemic And ‘Moving In The Wrong Direction,’ WHO Report Says

BreakingBusinessWorld Isn’t Ready For Another Pandemic And ‘Moving In The Wrong Direction,’ WHO Report SaysByMary Whitfill Roeloffs,Forbes Staff. Mary Roeloffs is a Forbes breaking news reporter covering pop culture.Follow AuthorMay 18, 2026, 06:00am EDTTopline Investment in global health research, prevention and preparedness has not kept pace with an increasing frequency and intensity of infectious disease epidemics, a new report from the World Health Organization shows, and experts are warning the world could be less prepared for the next pandemic than it was for COVID. Firefighters prepare to conduct disinfection at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport on April 3, 2020 in Wuhan, the Chinese city hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak.Getty ImagesKey FactsThe Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, established by the WHO and World Bank, said in a report out Monday that the "real, near term risk of another pandemic” is that it “would strike a world more divided, more indebted and less able to protect its people than it was a decade ago." The report warns that, if another pandemic were to strike soon, countries around the world would be exposed to potentially greater health, social and economic impacts than they suffered from pandemics past, despite officials having considerably more knowledge, tools and resources. The report found that infectious disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent, deadlier, are causing more harm to the economy and are leaving the societies they touch “poorer, more unequal, and more divided.” Rising costs, declining public financing, rising inequality and eroding trust—between countries and their citizens, and countries themselves—are why the board is raising the alarm, the report says, labeling "the profound erosion of trust and equity" as the No. 1 cause for concern. if (!window.cnxel) { window.cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe'); iframe.style.display = 'none'; iframe.onl...