With uncanny timing amid hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks, a group set up by Nelson Mandela known as The Elders, met in Kenya to model a health emergency – and found much still needs to be doneA dozen people sat around a boardroom table at the emergency hub of the World Health Organization (WHO) just outside Nairobi on Thursday, their eyes glued to an animated presentation on a screen.Health workers in eastern Chad have reported several deaths among patients with respiratory failure, they are told. Initial samples suggest a novel variant of bird flu, but confirmation requires sending samples to a foreign laboratory. International health regulations require notification within 24 hours of assessment, but Chad’s government is hesitant to notify the WHO, fearing economic repercussions and stigma. Continue reading...

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/may/21/pandemic-group-of-former-world-leaders-elders-practising-health-emergency-planning