Ahead of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York — and as the world races to stop the spread of a dangerous mpox outbreak — PAN, Global Health Council, and 115 partner organizations urge world leaders to prioritize investments in the Pandemic Fund to help ensure that all countries are better prepared to prevent outbreaks from becoming deadly and costly pandemics. 

Join us and sign on today!

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Dear World Leaders,

The COVID-19 pandemic cost an estimated 24 million lives and at least US$16 trillion in global economic losses, and long COVID has affected at least 400 million people at a cost of $1 trillion annually. The pandemic has stalled economic growth and eroded years of progress in global health and toward the Sustainable Development Goals in a majority of low- and middle-income countries. In 2022, world leaders agreed to launch the Pandemic Fund as a dedicated global financing mechanism to ensure that all countries are better prepared to prevent outbreaks from becoming another deadly and costly pandemic. The Pandemic Fund is off to a strong start on its mission, but it urgently needs additional investments to maintain and increase its momentum.  The undersigned organizations urge your government to make a new and robust financial pledge to the Pandemic Fund on or before 31 October 2024 to enable the Fund to reach its minimum US $2 billion target for new investments for 2025-2027.

In its first two funding rounds, country demand for Pandemic Fund grants has far outstripped available resources. In its first round, the Pandemic Fund awarded US$338 million toward requests totaling US$2.5 billion from 133 countries. The current proposal round for a $500 million funding envelope has generated requests from 136 countries totaling over US$4.5 billion. Concessional financing for preparedness is particularly important given the number of countries now experiencing debt distress and weak growth in the wake of the pandemic and other global crises. The Pandemic Fund’s catalytic potential also makes it a smart investment: The first round of investments is yielding an estimated additional US$2 billion in co-financing. With an additional US$2 billion in direct capital, the Pandemic Fund projects that it will mobilize as much as $10B in co-financing for pandemic preparedness.  

With its commitment to channel resources to the areas of highest need globally, the Pandemic Fund represents the world’s commitment to global solidarity against pandemic threats. It is an essential vehicle to help low- and middle-income countries mobilize the resources they need to implement the newly amended International Health Regulations, as well as a future Pandemic Agreement. The composition of the Fund’s Governing Board also reflects this solidarity, with representation from countries across the Global South and North as well as civil society. Expanding and deepening meaningful engagement with civil society around the world will be critical to the Fund’s growth and sustainability.

Experts predict that there is more than a 50 percent chance of another COVID-like pandemic happening within the next generation, but we have the tools and knowledge to prevent this. Relatively modest investments in prevention and preparedness now will save trillions of dollars in a future crisis and every country will benefit. We urge you to prioritize – and increase – investments in the Pandemic Fund to help protect humanity from the next pandemic.

Sincerely,

Accountability Lab
Action for Women and Youth in Development
Action pour le Développement “ACDEV-Cameroun”
ActionAid International
Africa Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP)
Africa Frontline First
Africa Health Budget Network
African Renaissance
AGILE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE LIMITED
AHF UGANDA CARES
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
ALLIANCE NATIONALE DES COMMUNAUTES POUR LA SANTE (ANCS)
AMAMO Associação Mulher do Amparo Moçambique
American Medical Women’s Association
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Amis des Etrangers au Togo (ADET)
Amref Health Africa
APCASO
ASSOCIACAO SILVER LINING MOÇAMBIQUE
Associaçao WETHANA
ASSOCIATION BURKINABE D ACTION COMMUNAUTARE ABAC-ONG
Association d’Aide à l’Education de l’Enfant Handicapé (AAEEH)
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
Association Jeunesse et Enfance de Côte d’Ivoire
Association Jeunesse-Sensibilisation-Action (JSA – Togo)
Association pour la Promotion des Albinos au Cameroun (APAC)
Barokupot Ganochetona Foundation
Blood Patients Protection Council (BPPC) Kerala, India
Bluesquare
Bunyala CHW Impact Solutions
Centre for Accountability and Inclusive Development (CAAID)
CENTRE FOR HIV/AIDS AND STD RESEARCH
Centre for Media Literacy and Community Development (CEMCOD)
Children and Youth for Peace Agency
Christ Soldiers Foundation
CISDI
CISE Malawi
Civil Society Organization Network Trust
Civil Society Social Protection Network (CSSPN)
Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS Uganda)
Community And Family Aid Foundation-Ghana
Consortium for the Advancement of Rights for Key Affected Populations (CARKAP)
EANNASO
Entrepreneurship Initiative for African Youth (EIFAY Africa)
EX TB Gambia
Foundation for Environmental Watch
Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria
Global Health Council
Global Health Technologies Coalition
Haute Technologie Industrielle
Health Action Support Initiative
Health Diplomacy Alliance
Health NGOs Network
Indonesia AIDS Coalition
International Medical Corps
Internews
Jeunesse du Monde en Action
Joncaring Foundation
Karonga Debate Club (KADEC)
Kenguelekezé Para Saúde Direitos Humanos e Meio Ambiente
Kenya Red Cross Society
Kwanhliziyonye Resource Care Centre
Lawyers Alert Nigeria
LIFE AND HOPE REHABILITATION ORGANISATION
LiveWell Initiative (LWI)
MACIS Uganda
Makerere University
Malaria Youth Army/ Cameroon
Malaria Youth Army/ DRC
Management Sciences for Health
Mbale CAP/ MACIS
Mt View Like Minded Business Community Based Organization
Musikati Health and Home Trust
National Council of People living with HIV Tanzania (NACOPHA)
National Organization of Peer Educators (NOPE)
National Women’s Lobby Group
NGO: ADET
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association
No Borders Humanity Organization (NBH)
Nuclear Threat Initiative
ONE Campaign
Operation Smile
Outreach Scout Foundation (OSF)
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
Pandemic Action Network (PAN)
PATH
Preventing Pandemics at the Source Secretariat
Project HOPE
Public Health Initiative
PVA Asia
Réseau Accès aux Médicaments Essentiels (RAME)
Resilience Action Network Africa (RANA)
RIATT-ESA
Rofutha Development Association
Safe Surgery Initiative
SEE RCN
Sepsis Research Group SIDOK
She-Hive Association Lesotho
Sister’s Hand Liberia
Sokoine University of Agriculture
South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE)
Stardykenya Community Based Organization
Tanzania Development and AIDS Prevention Association ( TADEPA)
TB PROOF
Teen Aid International Organization
Ubuntou Global Health Institute
UGANDA CHILD AND AID DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (UGACAD)
Uganda Network of AIDS Service
Union of Community Development Volunteers
University for Development Studies
University of Miami Public Health Policy Lab
WACI Health
WaterAid
We Rise and Prosper (WRAP)
Women in Global Health Zimbabwe
Wote Youth Development Projects CBO
WPIUN /SOCIAL GOOD SUMMIT
Youth and Women for Change in Eswatini