Six Years Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, WHO Warns This

JAKARTA - It has been six years since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in the world and it has now been overcome well. However, even though the pandemic has subsided, the World Health Organization warns that there is still a threat of diseases that have the potential to become pandemics in the future.

"The pandemic teaches us that global threats require a global response. Solidarity is the best immunity," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, quoted from the WHO website, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, there have been several concrete steps taken to strengthen the world's health system, especially in the face of virus spread. Some of them are as follows.

- Global pandemic agreement, where the world made history by adopting the WHO Pandemic Agreement to ensure equitable access to vaccines and medicines in the future. - Use of AI, where WHO uses AI connected to more than 110 countries to detect new disease threats faster. - Pandemic fund, where funds amounting to 1.2 billion dollars or around Rp. 18.9 trillion have been disbursed to strengthen laboratories and health workers in 98 countries.

The success of the implementation of these measures was most recently seen in the handling of the Ebola and Marburg outbreaks in Africa recently, which were successfully mitigated in a short time.

However, the shadow of the threat of the next pandemic must still be watched and not forgotten by countries. Moreover, at this time data shows that health budgets are beginning to be diverted back for the sake of national defense and security.

WHO considers this move to be very risky. WHO asks all governments around the world not to be complacent and remain vigilant about the spread of other viruses that have the potential to become a new pandemic.

"This is a narrow view. The pandemic is a national security threat. Investing in preparedness means saving lives, protecting the economy, and stabilizing society," the WHO statement said.

Meanwhile, the world is currently racing against time to finalize the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing (PABS) system before this year's health assembly.

The goal of this is that when "Disease X" or the next pandemic occurs, no country will have difficulty obtaining vaccines or drugs.