WHO and World Bank Propose $31.1 Billion Pandemic Budget

The World Health Organization and the World Bank Group have proposed an annual budget of $31.1 billion to fund global pandemic preparedness and prevention. Developed following a 2022 request from the G20, the plan suggests sourcing $10.5 billion from foreign aid and approximately $26 billion from low and middle-income countries.

A study from the University of Leeds, published in the journal Health Economics, Policy and Law, challenges the proposal's financial logic. The researchers claim the budget's return-on-investment assumptions are based on smoke and mirrors. The study further argues that the plan prioritizes pharmaceutical products over fundamental health determinants such as sanitation and nutrition, which could divert critical funding away from the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV-AIDS.

Despite these criticisms, the Australian government has already signed the amended International Health Regulations. Australia is expected to sign a UN political agreement and the WHO Pandemic Agreement in September, committing funds based on the contested costings.