During a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, stressed the urgent need for global preparedness in the face of a potential new pandemic known as ‘Disease X’. He called on countries worldwide to unite and sign a ‘pandemic treaty’ aimed at addressing this deadly disease, which has the potential to be 20 times more lethal than COVID-19. Mr Ghebreyesus expressed his hope that countries would reach an agreement on this matter by May, emphasizing the importance of collective action in combating this “common enemy.” This call for a treaty underscores the WHO’s commitment to preventing and mitigating future pandemics through international cooperation and coordination.
Mr Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of acknowledging the existence of unknown events that may occur in the future, stating that it is not a matter of if they happen, but when. He highlighted the need for a placeholder to address these uncertainties, particularly in relation to diseases that are yet to be discovered. Reflecting on the devastating impact of COVID-19, he expressed regret over the loss of numerous lives due to the inability to effectively manage patients. The lack of sufficient resources, such as oxygen and space, hindered the ability to save lives. Mr Ghebreyesus questioned the effectiveness of a healthcare system that cannot expand to meet the demands during a crisis. In response to the potential for future outbreaks, the WHO has already taken proactive measures. These include the establishment of a pandemic fund and the creation of a technology transfer hub in South Africa, aimed at increasing local production and addressing the issue of vaccine hoarding by high-income countries, thus promoting equity in vaccine distribution.
Disease X is not a specific illness, but rather a term used to describe a potential virus that shares similarities with COVID-19. It encompasses a range of possibilities, including new agents, viruses, bacteria, or fungi that have no known treatment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified this unknown disease alongside other deadly outbreaks such as Covid-19, Ebola, Lassa fever, MERS, Nipah, and Zika, all of which have caused significant fatalities during their respective outbreaks.
According to The Lancet, the WHO officially adopted the term Disease X in 2018 to represent the next unidentified disease with epidemic potential. This term serves as a way to highlight the existence of an unknown pathogen that could potentially trigger a severe international epidemic. The WHO’s report from November 2022 emphasizes that there is a vast number of potential pathogens worldwide, while the resources allocated for disease research and development (R&D) remain limited.
