The Pandemic Fund was set up to help build countries’ capacity to prepare, prevent, and respond to future outbreaks. But it quickly realized there’s no such thing as an “interpandemic year.”
“There's always an outbreak … occurring,” including the recent outbreaks of mpox in Africa and Marburg in Rwanda, the Pandemic Fund’s executive head, Priya Basu, said during Devex World 2024.
This is why the fund’s board decided to fast-track some $129 million to support several countries affected by mpox, and is considering an emergency financing mechanism to help with ongoing, new, and future outbreaks.