Insights in the Conference on European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness

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Chung Wai Hin, Linus

Placement Site: Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens

On the 4th and 5th of November, I attended the Final Conference of BE READY PLUS — the European Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute in Athens. This gathering marked the culmination of a collaborative effort and the final stage before the launch of its successor, BE READY NOW. For me, it was quite significant as it served as a vivid introduction to the intricate machinery of European health governance.

Figure 1: Picture of me in front of a BE READY roll-up banner

Figure 2: Close-up picture of my BE READY PLUS Final Conference lanyard

Figure 3: Picture of a BE READY PLUS Final Conference poster

The room brought together voices from across the continent: representatives from the European Commission, national public health institutes, patient associations, NGOs, and research bodies. Over two days, we moved from presentations on the completed work packages of BE READY PLUS to a roundtable on citizen engagement in pandemic preparedness. What struck me was the shared language of resilience, and the key role civil society had to play in said resilience, as well as the difficulties of communicating health information to the public.

One concept that stood out was the idea of an “ever-warm” clinical trial network—a network of research sites across Europe designed to activate in the event of a crisis, launching studies within days, not months, to save as many lives as possible. This would represent a logistical, ethical, and political commitment to readiness, and my own work, after this conference, was to develop a Policy Brief on integrating such a network with other existing initiatives and laws. Hearing from experts on how such networks could prevent the fragmentation seen during COVID-19 gave me a tangible sense of what “preparedness” looked like in practice.

Figure 4: Picture of my colleagues and me at the reception of the BE READY PLUS Final Conference

Beyond the panel discussions, I had the chance to speak with professionals from the WHO, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and civil society organisations at the conference. These conversations revealed a recurring theme: that effective pandemic response depends not only on science and policy, but on the ability to integrate it into an actionable plan and BE READY was that integrational effort brought into being.

Outside the conference room, Athens offered its own lessons. Visiting a local mental health social initiative, I was reminded that resilience is also built at the community level, as health security is not only about pandemics or physical health but also mental and social well-being. It is about the daily well-being of people, their access to care, and their inclusion in the policies that impact them.

Figure 5: Group Picture of the BE READY PLUS Final Conference

This conference has helped to reshape my understanding of global health. It is not only about responding to outbreaks, but about designing systems that prevent collapse and can respond rapidly during emergencies. As BE READY PLUS concludes and transitions into BE READY NOW, I have a deeper appreciation for the architects of pandemic preparedness and a clearer vision of the kind of work I hope to contribute to in the future.

Note: BE READY PLUS is a project aiming to strengthen European partnership for pandemic preparedness and response capacities, the partnership includes research institutions, policymakers, and funding organisations. A key focus is to translate research priorities into actionable steps.