Analysing the engagement with pandemic preparedness, prevention and response in selected English language political manifestoes in 2024 from 17 countries

Wenham, Clare ORCID: 0000-0001-5378-3203 and Potluru, Akhila (2025) Analysing the engagement with pandemic preparedness, prevention and response in selected English language political manifestoes in 2024 from 17 countries. Global Health Action. ISSN 1654-9880 (In Press)

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Abstract

Despite the devastating impact of COVID-19 and repeated calls for political commitment to health security, our analysis of 43 manifestos from 16 countries and the European Parliamentary elections revealed that only four parties made specific policy pledges on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response , with six providing brief mentions. The vast majority (33 parties) did not mention pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. When referenced, the pandemic was often framed as a rare, one-off crisis or an economic shock rather than a catalyst for systemic health reform. Some parties used it for political critique or validation of past performance, while others framed preparedness in terms of national security or economic resilience rather than public health. In contrast, manifestos overwhelmingly prioritized healthcare system expansion, equity, and access, with a significant emphasis on universal health coverage, mental health, and workforce development. The findings underscore a stark misalignment between global health priorities and domestic political agenda. Political reluctance to emphasize pandemic prevention, preparedness and response appears to be influenced by pandemic fatigue, voter preferences for forward-looking narratives, and institutional incentives favouring short-term tangible outcomes. This persistent neglect of the pandemic in electoral discourse raises concerns about the global community's ability to sustain momentum for pandemic resilience. We call for stronger engagement between the global health community and political actors to elevate pandemic prevention, preparedness and response as a strategic, cross-cutting priority for future policymaking.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 The Author
Divisions:	Health Policy
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General) H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Date Deposited:	08 Sep 2025 10:57
Last Modified:	11 Sep 2025 12:31
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/129425

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