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preparedness as an integral part of national and global security, universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Progress indicator(s) by September 2020 • All countries that have completed an assessment of their capacities by 1 July 2019 have developed a costed National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), identified required resources and started to implement the plan. 1 Countries and regional organizations must lead by example G7, G20 and G77 Member States and regional intergovernmental organizations must follow through on their political and funding commitments for preparedness and agree to routinely monitor progress during their annual meetings. Progress indicator(s) by September 2020 • G7, G20, G77 and regional intergovernmental organizations monitor their commitments to preparedness for health emergencies. SEVEN URGENT ACTIONS TO PREPARE THE WORLD FOR HEALTH EMERGENCIES The world requires determined political leadership to prepare for health threats at national and global levels. The GPMB calls for: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ACTIONS FOR LEADERS TO TAKE V All countries must build strong systems Heads of government must appoint a national high-level coordinator with authority and political accountability to lead whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches, and routinely conduct multisectoral simulation exercises to establish and maintain effective preparedness. They must prioritize community involvement in all preparedness efforts, building trust and engaging multiple stakeholders (e.g. legislators; representatives of the human and animal health, security and foreign affairs sectors; the private sector; local leaders; and women and youth). Progress indicator(s) by September 2020 • At a minimum, the 59 countries that have completed a NAPHS identify a national high-level coordinator (board, commission or agency) to implement national preparedness measures across all sectors, and to lead and direct actions in these sectors in the event of a public health emergency. • WHO, the World Bank and partners, working with countries, develop and cost packages of priority interventions to increase preparedness capacity that can be financed in current budget cycles and map these interventions to expected results in the near term. • There are fewer, but better harmonized coordination mechanisms, global, regional and country networks, institutions and initiatives for preparedness and readiness and for research and development (R&D). 3 Countries, donors and multilateral institutions must be prepared for the worst A rapidly spreading pandemic due to a lethal respiratory pathogen (whether naturally emergent or accidentally or deliberately released) poses additional preparedness requirements. Donors and multilateral institutions must ensure adequate investment in developing innovative vaccines and therapeutics, surge manufacturing capacity, broad-spectrum antivirals and appropriate non-pharmaceutical interventions. All countries must develop a system for immediately sharing genome sequences of any new pathogen for public health purposes along with the means to share limited medical countermeasures across countries. Progress indicator(s) by September 2020 • Donors and countries commit and identify timelines for: financing and development of a universal influenza vaccine, broad-spectrum antivirals, and targeted therapeutics. WHO and its Member States develop options for standard procedures and timelines for sharing of sequence data, specimens, and medical countermeasures for pathogens other than influenza. • Donors, countries and multilateral institutions develop a multi-year plan and approach for strengthening R&D research capacity, in advance of and during an epidemic. • WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, academic and other partners identify strategies for increasing capacity and integration of social science approaches and researchers across the entire preparedness/response continuum. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY VI Financing institutions