September 2026: Against the backdrop of the UK's decision to withdraw from the Pandemic Fund, researchers are urging governments to take pandemic preparedness seriously given recent Hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks. Published in the Journal of Public Health, the editorial examines recent infectious disease events, including Hantavirus infections and the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries, as reminders that pandemic preparedness requires continuous investment and cannot be treated as a one-off response to a crisis. Authors Ting Shi, Senior Lecturer at Usher and Sam Ghebrehewet, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Health, highlight that while rare zoonotic infections may pose a low direct risk to populations in the UK, global travel, environmental change and evolving interactions between humans and animals mean that infectious disease threats can emerge and cross borders. The authors emphasise the importance of maintaining strong surveillance systems, laboratory capability, skilled public health workforces and rapid response networks to identify and contain outbreaks effectively. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic The editorial also reflects on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising that health security depends on global collaboration and shared responsibility. Strengthening outbreak detection, laboratory infrastructure and public health capacity internationally supports preparedness by reducing the risk of outbreaks escalating into international emergencies. The authors argue that investment in pandemic prevention and preparedness should be viewed as an investment in health security, highlighting the importance of maintaining the systems, expertise and partnerships needed to respond effectively to future threats. Recent outbreaks remind us that global health security depends on sustained investment in prevention, preparedness and partnership across countries. Dr Ting Shi Senior Lecturer, Usher Institute Withdrawal from the Pandemic Fund The editorial also considers the implications of the UK’s decision to withdraw its contribution to the Pandemic Fund, which was established to strengthen surveillance, laboratory systems, workforce capacity and emergency preparedness in low- and middle-income countries following the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors note that preparedness extends beyond financial investment alone, requiring continued support for multidisciplinary public health workforces, strong relationships between local, national and international organisations, and public trust. The challenge for public health is not identifying the next pandemic pathogen but ensuring that systems remain sufficiently flexible to respond regardless of the organism involved. Dr Sam Ghebrehewet Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Health Professor Mark Woolhouse, Chair of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the Usher InstInstitute, and Lead for the newly established Edinburgh Pandemic Research Forum said: Shi and Ghebrehewet make a useful contribution to an important debate. The rapid detection, identification and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks is our first line of defence against a potential health emergency. COVID-19 was circulating for months before it was recognised and if we can deny the next pandemic the same head start then many lives would be saved. Investing in the capability to do that is a global good and the UK should play its part. Related links Written statement by Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs | UK Parliament New human-infecting viruses discovered every year | Usher Institute Ting Shi | The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh Pandemic Research Forum This article was published on Wednesday 15 July 2026
