Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) in global health. This review first examined global health governance (GHG) for PPPR, identifying its core-satellite structure. Key GHG functions include rule-setting, resource mobilization, medical countermeasures (MCMs) supply, surveillance and data/pathogen sharing with rapid response, and One Health. Major gaps exist in global collaboration, enforcement of the International Health Regulations (IHR), and the World Health Organization's (WHO) capacity. The most urgent issue is pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS). Second, the PPPR capacity across world regions were assessed using two public datasets: eSPAR and GHS Index. Sub-Saharan Africa requires urgent support to strengthen most PPPR aspects, while epidemiological and laboratory surveillance, infection prevention and control (IPC), and regulatory functions need improvement in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in various regions outside Europe. Japan, with its strong PPPR capacity, is well-positioned to assist. Lastly, the review explored the link between PPPR and health systems strengthening (HSS). PPPR must be firmly integrated into HSS to ensure resilience, equity, inclusiveness, continuity of care, and sustainability. Core health system components — service delivery, workforce, health information systems, MCMs access, and governance — along with communication and trust-building, effectively contribute to PPPR. However, pandemic exceptionalism and the over-securitization of PPPR and health security may hinder coordination. The enhanced GHG for PPPR, led by the empowered WHO, should effectively facilitate and coordinate technical assistance to LMICs to strengthen their PPPR capacities and promote PPPR-HSS integration by bringing together the often-divided health security and HSS communities.
