The Pandemic Fund

Over the past three decades, the global health landscape has witnessed an increasing array of actors—from international organizations and pooled financing mechanisms to philanthropic foundations. While targeted initiatives to combat specific diseases have yielded important gains, they too often operate in silos, sidelining national governments and resulting in a whole that is smaller than the sum of its parts. Against a backdrop of constrained international financing for health, there is a growing and legitimate call for more coherent, coordinated approaches – anchored in national and regional priorities. This call for country leadership is powerfully reflected in the Lusaka Agenda. At the core of the Pandemic Fund’s vision for a safer, more resilient world is country leadership— supported by effective partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector. As the world faces mounting threats to health security, this session highlighted how these country-driven investments supported by the Pandemic Fund are making a difference.

This Pandemic Fund-hosted World Health Summit event featured a moderated panel discussion that brought together leaders from governments and global and regional health institutions. The panel emphasized the importance of complementarity with existing global efforts and highlighted the Fund’s unique role in delivering sustained, scalable impact. The discussion was followed by a fireside chat between Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund, and the co-chairs of the Fund’s External Advisory Council. The conversation spotlighted the pivotal role of private sector leaders in advancing pandemic preparedness and response across Africa. It explored how private sector actors are delivering innovative solutions, technical expertise, and partnership models that strengthen health systems and accelerate PPR investments.

The session was moderated by Andrew Sollinger, CEO & publisher of Foreign Policy Magazine.