CISM JOINS INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION PROPOSING A NEW APPROACH TO FUTURE PANDEMIC READINESS
Three researchers from the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) are members of The NUS–Lancet PRIME Commission on Pandemic Readiness, an international Commission established to rethink preparedness for future pandemics and contribute to policies and strategies capable of protecting communities more effectively and equitably, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups.
The CISM researchers serving on the Commission are Alberto L. García-Basteiro, Vasco Sambo and Olga Cambaco, working in the areas of Tuberculosis, Bacterial Diseases and Population Studies, respectively.
The Commission's work resulted in the publication of a scientific article in The Lancet, as well as the report The NUS–Lancet PRIME Commission: transforming pandemic readiness for equity, which proposes a new approach to pandemic readiness, placing at its centre the ability of systems and societies to protect populations equitably.
The report was launched on 21 September 2026 in New York, during the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly. The event brought together representatives from governments, international organisations, academic institutions and civil society to discuss ways of translating commitments on pandemic preparedness into concrete mechanisms to protect populations, with particular attention to equity.
The PRIME Commission is an initiative of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the scientific journal The Lancet. Co-chaired by former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark and Professor Helena Legido-Quigley, the Commission brings together experts from different disciplines and regions of the world, including public health, epidemiology, health systems, social sciences, economics and governance.
The Commission's work drew on evidence from 20 countries and combined different approaches, including interviews with high-level decision-makers across government sectors in countries that were on the front line of the COVID-19 response, analysis of systems and institutions, future scenario development and epidemiological modelling.
Vasco Sambo Olga Cambaco Alberto García-Basteiro
Vasco Sambo, Olga Cambaco and Alberto L. García-Basteiro, members of the PRIME Commission.
One of PRIME's distinctive elements was the implementation of 20 case studies to understand the experiences of different societies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the factors that influenced their ability to protect their populations. Mozambique was among the countries included, with the study seeking to incorporate both the perspectives of key national stakeholders and the experiences of communities, including women living in Manhiça District.
The Coordinator of the Tuberculosis area at CISM, Alberto L. García-Basteiro, participated in the global launch of the report in New York, where he moderated the roundtable “What the evidence changes”. The session focused on the practical implications of the evidence generated by the Commission and how it can contribute to rethinking policies and mechanisms for future pandemic preparedness.
One of the main conclusions of the PRIME Commission is that pandemic readiness should not be assessed solely on the basis of the existence of plans, infrastructure or technical capacities, but also on the effective ability of systems and societies to protect people equitably during a crisis. The analysis showed that this capacity to protect is influenced by multiple factors, including economic insecurity, housing conditions, barriers to essential services, trust in institutions and health information, as well as limitations in health and social protection systems. These factors can determine who is able to adopt protective measures during an emergency and who remains more exposed to its impacts.
Based on the evidence presented, PRIME puts forward ten recommendations covering areas such as community participation, the One Health approach, social protection, governance, communication and trust, financing, continuous learning, recovery, and regional and global cooperation. Among the tools proposed is the PRIME Test, designed to support the assessment of policies, strategies and investments against criteria related to protection, equity, community participation, trust and system resilience.
The Commission will now seek to move from recommendations to implementation by promoting the dissemination of its findings in each country, national and regional dialogues involving communities, public authorities, professionals, researchers, funders and strategic partners, and concrete actions to strengthen preparedness, prevention and response to future pandemics.
