WHO Executive Board's Special Session on Ebola UN Photo/Christopher Black
Statement |

Strengthening the evidence base for public health and social measures – EB158/21

1 min
UN Photo/Christopher Black
WHO Executive Board's Special Session on Ebola UN Photo/Christopher Black

MSF welcomes WHO's leadership in health emergencies, surveillance, early warning, coordination, and support for national responses.

Despite increased attention to Global Health Security, persistent barriers to access care, undermine outbreak response, particularly in humanitarian settings. Surveillance, early detection, and containment are essential, but insufficient.

MSF witnesses a recurring pattern: effective medical tools exist, yet patients cannot access them. From diphtheria in West Africa to Ebola in DRC, the most affected communities are often the last to access countermeasures due to political decisions, not scientific gaps.

Equitable access must be a core pillar of emergency response. The MCM framework must prioritise humanitarian mechanisms that can deliver in its mandate. GHS must be measured by its ability to protect those who need it most.