Editor,
Although Monkeypox cases continue to swell in Canada and around the world, the virus doesn’t currently seem to have the biological potential to cause the next pandemic. However, this virus’s spread should serve as a reminder to us all how we, as a global community, are inextricably connected and are still very much susceptible to a future pandemic.
For instance, a recent WHO report found that the world is no better prepared for a new pandemic now than it was when COVID-19 emerged. Thus, it’s becoming more and more clear that investments in pandemic preparedness need to be a priority of governments around the world.
Fortunately, there are feasible solutions. For example, earlier this year, the Global Fund (GF) initiated its Seventh Replenishment Campaign, which, if fully funded, is expected to save 20 million lives over the next three years, yield a return of $31 for every $1 invested, get the global community back on track in ending AIDS, TB, and malaria, and strengthen the health systems of low- and middle-income countries to ensure a more equitable and pandemic proof future.
Therefore, I hope to see Canada meet its past commitment to global health ahead of the Seventh Replenishment Conference, by investing its fair share of CAD$1.2 billion into the Global Fund.
Garrison Dyck
Edmonton, AB
