The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alarming warning recently, highlighting the possibility of an “inevitable” pandemic of Disease X. Fear and anxiety have taken over the public as Disease X, included in the WHO’s “Blueprint List Priority Diseases”, could cause a pandemic more lethal than Covid-19.
Disease X was coined by the WHO in 2018 and involves emerging illnesses, such as Ebola, SARS, and Zika. According to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), our world is more vulnerable than ever to the emergence of Disease X, which could come from a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease. Some public health experts believe the next Disease X might start by infecting wild or domestic animals, and then spilling over to humans, as seen with viruses such as Ebola, HIV/AIDS and Covid-19.
At the 76th World Health Assembly Meeting, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for the world to prepare for the next pandemic with utmost vigilance. He said that the end of Covid-19 doesn’t signify the end of its threat since even deadlier things can arrive in its wake. Pranab Chatterjee, a researcher from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, warned that the possibility of a Disease X event is always looming just around the corner.
In order to prepare and contain any pandemic, it is essential to have surveillance systems in place. According to experts, this may be the best approach to take in order to detect a spillover event before it spreads far and wide. Governments and healthcare systems around the world must take this into account and ensure they are equipped to face the challenges of a Disease X pandemic.
The World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations are two major organizations that are constantly working towards preventing and containing pandemics around the world. WHO is responsible for providing direction for international health issues, setting standards and guidelines, and monitoring global health conditions. The CEPI, on the other hand, is responsible for funding and accelerating the development of new vaccines to protect from infectious diseases. With the help of these two organizations, moving forward, we may be better prepared for the potential of a Disease X pandemic.
