Fighting against the common enemy of COVID-19: a practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has caused more than 80813 confirmed cases in all provinces of China,and 21110 cases reported in 93 countries of six continents as of 7 March 2020 since middle December 2019.Due to biological nature of the novel coronavirus,named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)with faster spreading and unknown transmission pattern,it makes us in a difficulty position to contain the disease transmission globally.To date,we have found it is one of the greatest challenges to human beings in fighting against COVID-19 in the history,because SARS-CoV-2 is different from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV in terms of biological features and transmissibility,and also found the containment strategies including the non-pharmaceutical public health measures implemented in China are effective and successful.In order to prevent a potential pandemic-level outbreak of COVID-19,we,as a community of shared future for mankind,recommend for all international leaders to support preparedness in low and middle income countries especially,take strong global interventions by using old approaches or new tools,mobilize global resources to equip hospital facilities and supplies to protect noisome infections and to provide personal protective tools such as facemask to general population,and quickly initiate research projects on drug and vaccine development.We also recommend for the international community to develop better coordination,cooperation,and strong solidarity in the joint efforts of fighting against COVID-19 spreading recommended by the joint mission report of the WHO-China experts,against violating the International Health Regulation(WHO,2005),and against stigmatization,in order to eventually win the battle against our common enemy—COVID-19.

Sustainable strategies for Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness in Africa:a case study on lessons learnt in countries neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background: From May 2018 to September 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) experienced seven Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks within its borders. During the 10th EVD outbreak (2018–2020), the largest experienced in the DRC and the second largest and most prolonged EVD outbreak recorded globally, a WHO risk assessment identified nine countries bordering the DRC as moderate to high risk from cross border importation. These countries implemented varying levels of Ebola virus disease preparedness interventions. This case study highlights the gains and shortfalls with the Ebola virus disease preparedness interventions within the various contexts of these countries against the background of a renewed and growing commitment for global epidemic preparedness highlighted during recent World Health Assembly events.Main text: Several positive impacts from preparedness support to countries bordering the affected provinces in the DRC were identified, including development of sustained capacities which were leveraged upon to respond to the subsequent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Shortfalls such as lost opportunities for operationalizing cross-border regional preparedness collaboration and better integration of multidisciplinary perspectives, vertical approaches to response pillars such as surveillance, over dependence on external support and duplication of efforts especially in areas of capacity building were also identified. A recurrent theme that emerged from this case study is the propensity towards implementing short-term interventions during active Ebola virus disease outbreaks for preparedness rather than sustainable investment into strengthening systems for improved health security in alignment with IHR obligations, the Sustainable Development Goals and advocating global policy for addressing the larger structural determinants underscoring these outbreaks.Conclusions: Despite several international frameworks established at the global level for emergency preparedness, a shortfall exists between global policy and practice in countries at high risk of cross border transmission from persistent Ebola virus disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With renewed global health commitment for country emergency preparedness resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and cumulating in a resolution for a pandemic preparedness treaty, the time to review and address these gaps and provide recommendations for more sustainable and integrative approaches to emergency preparedness towards achieving global health security is now.