In a packed room at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Helen Clark, the former New Zealand prime minister and co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, dropped a big “what-if” scenario before several heads of state and government ministers.
“Imagine if one of us here, now, were infected with a new, dangerous virus. More of us would become infected this week. We would fly back home to our families and communities, potentially sparking another crisis. Would our countries be ready to manage that outbreak? Would the world?” she asked.
“That is a political choice. You have the power to make it,” she said.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
