Ricardo Mexia, epidemiologist and researcher at the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), warned in an exclusive interview with HealthNews about the need to strengthen permanent preparation for future health threats.
The specialist defended the importance of sustained and continuous investment in public health, emphasizing that preparation for future health crises should not be treated as an occasional priority, but rather as a long-term structural commitment.
Among the main measures advocated by Mexia are the need to ensure interoperable data between different information systems, as well as strengthening coordination between human, animal, and environmental health sectors, in an integrated approach that recognizes the interconnections between these domains.
The interview comes in the context of a broader debate on how health systems should prepare to respond more effectively to pandemics and other health emergencies that may arise in the future.
