The World Health Organization turns 75 on April 7. While it finalizes its updated list of pandemic pathogens — which is set to be released any day — here are a few things health experts told NPR it should add to its agenda in 2023.
Physicians, researchers, epidemiologists, infectious disease experts, health policy directors, university professors and other executives weighed in on what the global organization should prioritize in its 75th year, such as:
- Adolescent health must become a major focus worldwide.
- Work to dispel misinformation and disinformation and to build up trust.
- Raise awareness of and prioritize thinking through health ethics.
- Increase focus on the health of the environment and its relationship to the health of people.
- Toss bureaucracy within the organization.
- Internally develop procedures and ways for the organization to respond flexibly and autonomously to disasters.
- Prioritize research on long COVID.
- Identify and focus on the most vulnerable populations.