EFTA01192858

IPI 
INTERNATICINAL 
MACE 
INSTTIVTE 
Preparing for Pandemics: 
Lessons Learned for More Effective Responses 
I. 
Dangerously unprepared 
The current Ebola outbreak represents an unprecedented crisis that has underlined the need 
to enhance WHO's leadership, accelerate preparedness in countries and increase coordination 
among partners to better detect, prevent and manage any future crises. The difficulties in 
eradicating polio, in particular the lack of security and healthcare infrastructure in remote 
areas as well as corruption and vaccination reluctance has highlighted that the global 
community has to take a multidisciplinary approach to overcome barriers when fighting these 
diseases. As Bill Gates stressed at a recent meeting of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and 
Immunization in Berlin (on 27 January), and as Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank, 
recently pointed out, the world is dangerously unprepared for future pandemics, and we have 
to plan to deal with them as we would plan to prepare ourselves for war. 
It is difficult to anticipate the outbreak of such pandemics, but it is possible to develop plans 
and contingencies to deal with the unexpected. This Post Ebola reflection process needs to 
consider the wider UN context and the roles of various organizations involved. This requires 
an international, joined-up and constructive strategy among all relevant stakeholders. 
II. 
High-level meeting in Geneva 
Therefore, the International Peace Institute (IPI) calls for an international conference to 
immediately respond to this call for action, and mobilize relevant experts from diverse 
backgrounds (i.e. UN Member States, multi-lateral institutions, corporations, philanthropists, 
historians, sociologists, anthropologists, public health specialists, medical doctors, 
pharmaceutical specialist, civil society, etc.) to examine lessons learned from dealing with 
pandemics, and discuss policy recommendations for a more robust response to future 
pandemics. The aim is to proactively provide and implement solutions as well as encourage 
adaptive leadership to be better prepared and to reduce the potential harm caused by future 
pandemics. 
The conference will address the complexity of the topic by finding actionable solutions and 
developing policy recommendations for the thematic clusters of (i) Enhancing Preparedness 
and Response as well as (ii) Building Resilient Health Systems. The conference is designed to 
follow a chronological order leading panelists and participants from lessons learned from the 
1 
EFTA01192858

past to developing actionable solutions and implementing policy recommendations for the 
future: 
I. 
Challenges of the Past, Present and Future 
How did pandemics (like the Spanish flu and H1N1) affect global health in the past? What are 
key triggers and catalysts of pandemics? How has technology and globalization affected the 
outbreak and spread of pandemics and what are scenarios for the future? 
II. 
Lessons learned from responding to Ebola and Polio 
What are the lessons learned fighting Ebola and Polio. How can the international community 
better cope with these challenges? What are best practices in management and coordination 
of multiple stakeholders when it comes to fighting pandemics? How can we prevent crises like 
these? How can we improve preparedness and build more resilient coping mechanisms, in 
particular resilient health care early warning mechanisms to facilitate early action? How can 
we improve communication and collaboration within and amongst relevant stakeholders? 
III. 
Actionable Solutions for more effective preparedness 
Where are legal, institutional and managerial gaps, pressure points and bottle necks that have 
led to slow and inadequate responses in the past? Which new policies could be tailored to 
overcome these issues and enhance operational responses? Which institutional capacities are 
required or need to be reformed? Which financial mechanisms need to be put in place? How 
and where should policies be implemented? 
IV. 
Implementing Policy Recommendations 
Which of the policy recommendations should be prioritized? Who are the actors that should 
have the responsibilities to pursue the policy development and follow up on international 
implementation? This session will endeavor to provide guidance on how the 
recommendations identified at the meeting can be implemented. 
III. 
IPI's Impact and Value Add 
As an independent international think- and do-tank, IPI is particularly experienced in 
convening key decision makers from the public sector, international organizations and the 
private sector. In particular, IPI will draw on its existing network of contact and long-standing 
partnership with key organizations involved in the issue of peace and health as well as 
humanitarian issues. These include the World Health Organization (WHO), the Bill and 
Melinda Gates Foundation, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), GAVI, the 
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Medecins Sans 
Frontieres (MSF). 
2 
EFTA01192859