全球专家警告信的威胁

Leading experts gathered for the World Health Summit have warned that global institutions' efforts to fight emerging threats are still too weak. This is in the wake of the Ebola crisis - where the World Health Organization was criticized for its slow response. But as delegates look forward - the WHO chief has come out fighting.

The setting could hardly be more relaxed. But beneath the welcoming smiles - the 2,000 participants gathering for the World Health Summit in Berlin have much to ponder. In the wake of the Ebola crisis, serious concerns remain.

The World Health Organization says it needs more help.

"Countries are good at making promises; they are not as good at following through on those commitments. Do you know that only 30% of my budget is predictable money? The other 70% I have to go and beg for the money - and when they gave the money, they are highly linked to the interests of donors," WHO director-general Dr. Margaret Chan said.

New challenges are emerging. The growing mass movement of migrants and refugees is a key discussion point here - is the world ready to deal with the health implications? The summit's founder - says not yet.

"We have very strong, very important organizations like the WHO - but it was not able to cope with a problem like Ebola. We must have stronger institutions. But also remember that the WHO is restricted in its scope of action - because of its constitution as a UN body. They have certain things they can do and certain things they cannot do," Dr. Detlev Ganten , founding president of World Health Summit, said.

This is one of the most important health forums on the international calendar. Governments take note of its recommendations. On day one, a prevalent theme is already emerging.

The mandate of these summits is to look ahead - and yet the focus of last year's gathering, the Ebola virus, still casts a long shadow. The pandemic exposed weaknesses in global health systems that many here feel still haven't been fully addressed -- and could still compromise efforts to tackle the big health challenges of the future.