Learning the lessons of the last pandemic

In our turbulent world, it’s tempting to move on and forget the difficult days of COVID-19. Although the impact of the COVID pandemic is far-reaching, and for many, ongoing, as priorities shift, people are thinking less about the last pandemic or the possibility of another one. We risk falling into yet another cycle of panic and neglect.

In episode 6 of Not If, But When, we ask, what are the challenges for the public health experts trying to apply the lessons of the last pandemic, and working to strengthen the global systems for preventing future ones?

We speak to Catherine Smallwood, former WHO Regional Office for Europe’s Senior Emergency Officer and Programme Manager (Emergency Operations), about the systems in place that guide health emergency preparedness and response.

We hear from Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, about why, despite increasing and overlapping emergencies, he’s optimistic that the world will find ways to work together to combat global threats.