HEALTH systems and governance have historically been tested by pandemics, including the Black Death, the 1918 flu, HIV/AIDS and SARS.
This dynamic has become more intense in the twenty-first century. Infectious threats transcend borders, as demonstrated by COVID-19 and later outbreaks like Mpox and new SARS-CoV-2 variants, but national responses are frequently disjointed.
COVID-19 brought to light a significant failing: the global community’s struggle to produce and distribute vaccines fairly. According to a 2023 study on global manufacturing, eight out of every ten vaccine doses were distributed to high-income countries, meaning just 18% of people in low-income nations received a single dose. A small number of countries dominate vaccine production, with Africa and South America producing under 5% of non-COVID vaccines.
Wealthy nations acquired the majority of the supply during the crisis via advance purchase agreements and export controls. India, despite being a major vaccine producer, implemented bans on exporting vaccines and essential materials. The combination of these policies and “vaccine nationalism” resulted in insufficient supply for multilateral mechanisms such as COVAX. Because access was not immediate, the virus was able to keep spreading and evolving. Insufficient communication about risks worsened pandemic responses. According to the WHO, an infodemic, characterized by an overabundance of information that is false or misleading, leads to confusion, encourages risky actions, erodes trust in institutions and can worsen epidemics.
Fragile health systems and inequalities represented vulnerability. The pandemic agreement, approved by the World Health Assembly in May 2025, admitted that COVID-19 highlighted “gaps and inequities” in the world’s preparedness. The agreement mandates enhanced disease monitoring, stronger healthcare infrastructure and personnel, increased research, technology sharing for domestic manufacturing, clearer public health messages and fair access to medical treatments and vaccines. These reforms are crucial, yet they are still just goals.
Weaknesses in global governance became apparent due to pandemics. To govern effectively, timely coordination and following set rules are essential. However, the COVID-19 pandemic saw many nations prioritize themselves, leading to vaccine nationalism and a disregard for scientific consensus and International Health Regulations (IHR). Rich countries secured more vaccine doses than they required, consequently denying other nations the chance to purchase them. Regarding the 2024 IHR amendments, they highlight equity and advocate for sustainable financing. Meanwhile, the 2025 pandemic agreement intends to create a PABS system and a global supply-chain network. By May 2026, nations had failed to meet the deadline for treaty finalization due to disagreements on PABS obligations. These delays highlight the impact of national sovereignty and geopolitics on hindering collective solutions.
The inability of developing nations to access resources equally represents a significant failure in governance. Nations restricted or halted shipments of vital goods like vaccines and raw materials amid the pandemic. Global security and health were weakened by such restrictions, according to legal academics. While financial instruments like COVAX aimed for fair distribution, wealthy nations bypassed them for individual agreements, disadvantaging less affluent countries. Intellectual property laws made inequalities worse by restricting manufacturing to those who held patents.
Moreover, the US withdrawal from the WHO would splinter global reactions, exacerbating the already disjointed COVID-19 response. The WHO might face difficulties in gathering resources and guaranteeing fair access to healthcare and vaccines if the U.S. doesn’t lend its support, leading to a lack of leadership and strained diplomatic ties. Decisions like these directly impact nations such as Pakistan, which are dependent on multilateral programs for financial aid and technical support.
When nations prioritized their own internal affairs over unity, global collaboration faltered. According to a 2025 review of public-private partnerships, India’s vaccine export bans showed its national policies put domestic concerns ahead of international obligations. The researchers determined that national interests and geopolitical goals took precedence over shared public health aims, leading companies to avoid participating in collaborative initiatives.
Disagreements in the PABS system negotiations highlight how different goals hinder collaboration. Developed nations worry that mandated pathogen sharing might endanger intellectual property or national security; however, developing nations advocate for fair benefit distribution. According to The Guardian, the world remained vulnerable to the next pandemic due to the lack of an agreement at the World Health Assembly. Crucially, data sharing and research cooperation are important. Scientists shared sequencing data and trial results with unparalleled speed during COVID-19, which allowed for the rapid development of vaccines. Gaps persist due to withheld data from certain countries.
Social media, however, was a hotbed for the rapid dissemination of falsehoods and conspiracy theories. Collaborations with tech firms, media, civil society and academia are crucial for the WHO in combating infodemics, ensuring reliable information and bolstering resistance to false narratives. This collaboration involves training infodemic managers and creating digital tools for social listening.
Pandemics highlight and worsen existing disparities, revealing weaknesses in healthcare, government and global relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the unsustainability of depending on a few manufacturers and affluent countries for vaccines. To handle infodemics and regain public trust, communication must be clear, consistent and free from politics. To govern effectively, a balance must be struck between national sovereignty and collective responsibility. Solidarity, not politics, should be the foundation of cooperation. The lessons are particularly important for Pakistan.
Strengthening national healthcare systems requires investment in infrastructure, workforce development and research. Pandemics pose a significant risk in today’s world due to higher populations and deteriorating governance. The world must cooperate to address pandemics before another one takes us by surprise. Protecting the world’s population from pandemics is a moral duty and this realization is more critical now than ever.
—The writer is Commoner from 44th Common Educationist — Founder of WHI Institute.based in Sargodha.
