This Comment in today's Lancet notes that 'Governments must continue to invest in, build partnerships with, and listen to the perspectives of civil society'. Citation, extract, comments and a question from nme below.
CITATION: Transforming or tinkering: the world remains unprepared for the next pandemic threat
Helen Clark et al. The Lancet, Comment| volume 399, issue 10340, p1995-1999, may 28, 2022
Published:May 18, 2022 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00929-1
EXTRACT
'To produce key evidence for the 1-year progress report, we consulted with civil society, received 50 responses to a survey from 24 countries, held two academic round tables, and did a systematic review of the literature. There was broad support for the recommendations of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, and after more than 2 years of learning, broader themes were also emphasised: the case for preventing pandemic threats upstream; the centrality of human rights, investing in communities, and maintaining trust; the need for regional self-sufficiency; the need to address inequalities and the social determinants of health; and the results of neglecting to invest in promoting healthy populations.'
COMMENT (NPW):
1. It's notable that the final recommendation on 'What must happen next to improve pandemic responsiveness and response' is: 'Governments must continue to invest in, build partnerships with, and listen to the perspectives of civil society for pandemic preparedness and response at every level.'
2. The 1-year progress report is available here: https://live-the-independent-panel.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/20...
3. Unfortunately the report says nothing about the importance of meeting the information needs of the general public, nothing about the dangers of misinformation and how to address them, nothing about the legal responsibility of governments to ensure that their citizens are adequately informed on health issues. These are glaring omissions.
QUESTION
What can you tell us about the extent to which your national government listens to civil society organisations? How do they do this? Can you give examples of policy and decision-making where civil society organisations have been engaged? Conversely, can you give examples where civil society has been excluded or ignoried?
Best wishes, Neil
Joint Coordinator, HIFA SUPPORT-SYSTEMS
https://www.hifa.org/projects/new-support-systems-how-can-decision-makin...
Let's build a future where every person has access to reliable healthcare information and is protected from misinformation - Join HIFA: www.hifa.org
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is global coordinator of the HIFA global health movement (Healthcare Information For All - www.hifa.org ), a global community with more than 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting on six global forums in four languages in official relations with WHO. HIFA brings stakeholders together to accelerate progress towards universal access to reliable healthcare information. Twitter: @hifa_org neil@hifa.org
