Global governance for improved human, animal, and planetary health : the essential role of schools and programs of public health

Since March 2021, the world’s leaders have expressed a desire to “build back better,” reflecting a desire to see an enhanced post-pandemic world and the need to improve and protect health by being better prepared to respond to future pandemics. On March 30, 2021, 25 of the world’s leaders signed an accord calling for a new pandemic preparedness treaty. There is great complexity in achieving an international health treaty. The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, appointed by the World Health Organization (WHO), reported on May 14, 2021. They called for better funding for WHO, a Global Council for Health threats to work collaboratively with the WHO, and the delivery of the global vaccine program. They called for “21st century health data surveillance” and transparency in data sharing across countries. The Rome Declaration of the Global Health Summit of the G20, called for better preparedness, for support to low- and middle-income countries and for better global financing and governance for public health and health care. The Carbis Bay Declarations of the G7 governments set out proposals for a better planet, economy, and health. The European Union has set out plans to strengthen its capabilities through a Health Emergency Responsiveness Agency (HERA). The vision for HERA may be an example of how other supra-national, continental, or WHO regional health response agencies could be organized and resourced. A Special Session of the World Health Assembly which took place in November 2021 has agreed to set up an Intergovernmental negotiating body to move forward the process of establishing a new Global Pandemic Preparedness Treaty.