Global Resilience: Redefining Global Disaster Management Strategies,  Lessons from COVID-19 & the Call for United Action

Dr Sameena Tabassum, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

Keywords: Lessons of Covid-19, Global Resilience, Pandemic Preparedness, Covid Social Media Infodemic, Covid Vaccine.

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic was not only a public health emergency, it was also an alarm about the gap between our policy and real life impact, to adjust and redefine our existing disaster management protocols. It has highlighted serious flaws in our system of national preparedness, response coordination, equity, and resilience [1]

As the world moves beyond the acute phase of the pandemic, a critical question emerges: how should global disaster management strategies be redefined to better prepare for future crises?

Through this article we try to explore and emphasise the lessons of the pandemic, proposing a robust globally coordinated framework for disaster resilience.

The Limits of Traditional Preparedness

Prior to COVID, several nations assessed their disaster preparedness using technical scales like the Global Health Security Index (GHSI) and Joint External Evaluations (JEEs).

But, Thies et al. (2023) [2] clarified however that these indices often failed to predict the actual performance during an emergency, noting that the countries with high scores faced challenges with inadequate response management, while others with modest resources performed better due to factors like strong leadership, prompt actions and citizens’ trust.

Fauci and Folkers (2023) [5] further reinforced this point that we shouldn’t be limited to infrastructure, but also have to focus on resilient public health systems with adaptable governance, rapid decision-making, and stronger public engagement. Development of mRNA vaccines, and the need for a “prototype pathogen” approach, analysing different viral taxonomies, highlighting the importance of preventive care. Marginalised communities like low income groups, migrants and minorities were disproportionately affected by COVID.

Comparative Global Lessons from COVID-19

East Asia

● Containment approach: smartphone technology, public awareness, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine.

● Despite measures, GDP, economy, and life expectancy declined.

● Challenges: vaccine hesitancy, reliance on herd immunity.

● Strengths: timely access to data for decision-making, collaborations, and close working relationships.

Latin America

● Focus on epidemiological, clinical, and policy parameters.

● GDP loss due to mobility restrictions and lockdown effects.

● Examined impacts on poverty, gender, and income inequality.

London

● A twin challenge: accessibility and vaccine hesitancy.

Western Pacific & Africa

● Western Pacific (17 countries):

○ Low unmet demand for vaccination.

● Africa:

○ Very low vaccination rates due to hesitancy.

○ Faced vaccine gaps largely due to economic constraints

○ Reasons: fear of adverse effects, doubts about efficacy, perception of COVID-19 as low risk.

○ Needed solutions: education, outreach, and stronger supply chain for low- and middle-income countries.

● Highlight: health, social, and economic adaptation positioned countries for greater resilience.

Brazil

● Declared health as a universal right and state duty.

● Strategies: training health professionals, building field hospitals, dismissing health ministers who downplayed the crisis, and transparent communication.

● Emphasis: addressing inequity and social determinants of health.

India

● Strategies included international restrictions, strong community involvement, and global comparisons.

● Key lessons:

○ Infectious diseases transcend borders, race, religion, economic status, and caste.

○ Investment in health at family, community, national, and international levels.

○ Importance of basic sanitation and hygiene.

○ Empowering the population with technology, knowledge, and skills.

○ Lifestyle changes as part of preparedness.

Nepal

● Adopted Gross National Happiness Index instead of GDP as a guiding principle.

Italy

● Improved hospital organization and testing center management.

China

● Adopted a zero-tolerance policy: lockdowns until cases dropped to zero.

● Strengthened public health at the community level.

● Relied heavily on non-pharmaceutical containment strategies.

United States

● Challenges: opposition to masks, widespread vaccine hesitancy.

Japan

● Robust preparedness due to longstanding mask culture during flu seasons.

● Italian healthcare workers’ adherence to infection control measures.

● The 3Cs strategy: avoiding Crowded places, Closed spaces, Close contacts.

● Promoted gratitude projects for essential workers.

● Used multilingual websites for communication.

● Facilities with quality training and protocols had higher compliance, pointing towards institutional support and localized capacity building.

New Zealand

● Followed an elimination strategy with strict measures to stop transmission.

Smaller Countries (e.g., Singapore, Cambodia, Mongolia)

● Focused on protecting vulnerable populations.

● Cambodia and Mongolia reported zero deaths.

● Advantage: prior experience with influenza pandemics and early nationwide non-pharmaceutical measures.

Australia

● Benefited from its island advantage.

● Strategies: strict border closures, strong importation controls, clear communication with the public.

● Behavioral changes among the population enhanced effectiveness.

Goniewicz (2023) [4] proposed a Global Resilience and Preparedness Initiative (GRPI) for Global coordination and transparent data sharing to the public.  

Data Management and Innovation

Goniewicz (2023) [6] studied the role of Artificial Intelligence, tracking real-time analytics, which can guide us for resource allocation, proper prediction, and quality decision-making, with ethical monitoring.

The Covid Infodemic

One of the most dangerous and insidious challenges noticed during the pandemic was the “Infodemic”, meaning a flood of misleading information over social media and online platforms, misleading public and health efforts.

Bianco’s study found that many healthcare workers relied on mass media for COVID-19 information, revealing a dangerous gap in authoritative communication [7]. Hence there is a growing need that governments should hold these platforms accountable with evidence-based messaging systems that build trust and counter false narratives.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call. To redefine resilience, we must act now.

In just three years, it claimed more than 20 million lives and reminded us that “A threat anywhere in the world is a threat everywhere in the world”

The next pandemic is not a question of if, but when.

Countries need to work together, coordinating domestically while collaborating with international partners, to prepare and respond effectively. This means:

● Giving special attention to high-risk groups, such as the elderly, as Italy’s experience highlighted.

● Activating communities and promoting individual education so that everyone is prepared.

● Strengthening public health infrastructure and improving early detection and surveillance systems.

● Investing in research to generate new insights and innovative health solutions.

● Accelerating global vaccine development and ensuring equitable distribution.

● Fostering scientific innovation while promoting personal preparedness.

● Address social determinants of health

● Communication and public trust  

Key Takeaways:

1. By learning from the past, planning for the future, and acting together, we can give ourselves a better chance of containing outbreaks before they grow into pandemics.

2. Timely amendments have to be made in legislation

3. Global Coordination : Establish unified platforms for data sharing and response and Support initiatives like GRPI and WHO’s UHPR.

4. Remodelling of health services.

5. Psychological and Organisational support

Let us build a safer, healthier, and more resilient world for everyone.

References:

1. Yi, F., Feng, Y., Li, T. (2023). Social Resilience and COVID-19 Recovery: Evidence from 107 Countries. In: Zhao, S.X.B., Chan, K.T., Çolakoğlu, S., Zhang, Q., Yan, B. (eds) Comparative Studies on Pandemic Control Policies and the Resilience of Society. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9993-2_4

2. Thies DA, Navarro-Colorado C, Khan AS. 38. Till the next pandemic: National preparedness. In: Fisher D, editor. Infectious Disease Emergencies: Preparedness and Response [Internet]. 1st ed. NUS Press; 2025. Available from: https://emergencies.pubpub.org/pub/the-next-pandemic  

3. Ian Greener, 2024. “The path of the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy responses to it in ten countries,” Chapters, in: Martin Powell & Tuba I. Agartan & Daniel Béland (ed.), Research Handbook on Health Care Policy, chapter 13, pages 208-227, Edward Elgar Publishing.

4. Goniewicz K, Burkle FM. Redefining Global Disaster Management Strategies: Lessons From COVID-19 and the Call for United Action. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2023;17:e450. doi:10.1017/dmp.2023.111

5. Anthony S Fauci, Gregory K Folkers, Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Lessons From COVID-19, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 228, Issue 4, 15 August 2023, Pages 422–425, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiad095

6. Burkle FM Jr, Khorram-Manesh A, Goniewicz K. Artificial Intelligence Assisted Decision-Making in Current and Future Complex Humanitarian Emergencies. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025 Mar 20;19:e64. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2025.63. Erratum in: Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025 Apr 21;19:e99. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2025.107. PMID: 40111099.

7. Rosano A, Lorini C, Unim B, Griebler R, Cadeddu C, Regazzi L, Galeone D, Palmieri L. Coronavirus-Related Health Literacy: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 23;19(7):3807. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19073807. PMID: 35409490; PMCID: PMC8998061.