worlds-biggest-pandemic-threats-revealed-by-who-chiefs-but-theres-one-huge-absentee

The world is already grappling with the aftermath of COVID‑19, and according to World Health Organization (WHO) leadership, the next global health crisis could be even worse. In his address to the World Health Assembly, WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that “the threat of another pathogen emerging with even deadlier potential remains”. (gavi.org)

WHO has identified a list of “priority pathogens” — specific viruses and bacteria that could spark outbreaks or pandemics. In a November 2022 release, the organization flagged agents including Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, MERS, SARS, Nipah, Zika and the placeholder “Disease X” (for an unknown agent) as part of its R&D‑Blueprint for epidemic or pandemic response. (Tổ Chức Y Tế Thế Giới)

Among these, one of the top concerns is a novel or mutated strain of influenza — experts agree that flu viruses remain the most likely trigger of the next large‑scale pandemic. (The Guardian)

Yet there is a glaring absentee: despite its potential to wreak havoc, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is insufficiently featured in WHO’s “top pandemic threat” discussions. While WHO has issued a Bacterial Priority Pathogens List focusing on antibiotic‑resistant bacteria, this tends to be treated as a chronic health threat rather than an acute pandemic trigger. (Tổ Chức Y Tế Thế Giới)

In short: the WHO chiefs are rightly sounding the alarm on known and unknown viral threats, but the next global killer may quietly emerge not from a virus—but from the silent march of drug‑resistant bacteria. We must not ignore this stealth pandemic.

References:

• WHO: “WHO to identify pathogens that could cause future outbreaks … ” (21 November 2022) — WHO News release. (Tổ Chức Y Tế Thế Giới)
• “Prepare for disease deadlier than COVID – WHO chief” (May 2023) — VaccinesWork / SciDev.Net. (gavi.org)
• Guardian article: “Next pandemic likely to be caused by flu virus, scientists warn” (April 2024) (The Guardian)
• WHO Bacterial Priority Pathogens List 2024: Highlighting antibiotic‑resistant bacteria. (Tổ Chức Y Tế Thế Giới)