The Day I Realized We Weren’t Ready for the Next Pandemic—And Why This Committee Might Actually Change That
I’ll never forget standing outside a clinic in my neighborhood during the peak of COVID. My uncle had just tested positive, and we were desperately looking for a bed, or oxygen—anything. I remember thinking, “How are we this unprepared after everything we’ve been through?”
It wasn’t just fear. It was frustration. Rage, even. Like, why did it take a global disaster to expose how broken our systems really are?
That question still lingers in my chest sometimes, especially now that the Pandemic Fund Steering Committee has officially been inaugurated.
So, what’s the big deal?
On paper? It sounds like another fancy title slapped onto another government body. But in real life? It might be one of the most important things we’ve done in a long time.
This committee isn’t just about throwing money at problems after they explode. It’s about getting ahead of them. Like finally fixing the leaking roof before the rainy season floods your living room.
They’re talking about building real emergency preparedness. More funding for labs, training healthcare workers, setting up surveillance systems (not the creepy kind—I hope), and making sure rural clinics don’t get left behind… again.
And look, I know committees come and go. Task forces pop up like mushrooms after a storm. But this one feels... different.
I mean, we’ve seen what happens when we’re not ready
I’ve watched friends lose their parents because an ambulance never came. I’ve seen hospital staff working without gloves. I’ve stood in pharmacy lines where people are praying—not for healing, but for paracetamol.
You know those moments where you can’t believe this is real life? That’s what the pandemic felt like. For a lot of us, it was like waking up in someone else’s nightmare and realizing—oh crap—this is actually mine.
And if you’re thinking, “It wasn’t that bad,” congrats. You were lucky. But a whole chunk of the country? We’re still recovering. Emotionally, financially, medically. Some folks never got the chance to recover at all.
So yeah, I care about this committee. A lot.
Because here’s what I’ve noticed lately: We only care about public health after the crisis hits. We panic, donate, scream for help… and then we forget. Until the next one.
But the Pandemic Fund Steering Committee—if they play it right—might actually break that cycle.
They’ve got international backing. Ghana is one of the 57 countries that applied for support, and we made it into the top 19 selected. That’s not just paperwork—that’s potential.
In my experience, hope doesn’t come from headlines
It comes from small things. Like hearing a nurse say, “We finally got supplies before we ran out.” Or seeing your community clinic install cold chain fridges. Or learning that someone actually planned for the next thing before it smacks us in the face.
I’m not saying this committee is perfect. I’m not even saying I trust the system 100%. (Let’s be real—I’ve been burned before.)
But I’m saying this:
If we’re serious about protecting our kids, our elders, our future...
Then this can’t just be another government folder gathering dust.
Here's what I hope:
That they listen more than they talk.
That they include frontline workers—not just suits in air-conditioned rooms.
That they don’t wait for the next outbreak to act.
Because prevention isn’t flashy. It doesn’t make headlines. But it saves lives.
So, what now?
What if we all paid more attention—not just during disasters, but before they start?
What if your next clinic visit didn’t feel like rolling the dice?
What if Ghana finally became the country that leads in pandemic preparedness, instead of scrambling at the back?
I don’t know. Maybe I’m dreaming.
But after everything we’ve lived through…
Don’t we deserve to dream of a future that’s ready?
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