The index has been widely criticised as a technocratic box ticking exercise
A much-maligned index that sought to rank countries for pandemic preparedness ahead of Covid-19 may not have been bad after all, according to new research.
The 2019 Global Health Security (GHS) index – an assessment of 195 countries’ ability to respond to pandemics – was widely ridiculed after Covid struck because it had placed the US and UK at the top of the preparedness league ahead of the outbreak.
Former UK health minister Matt Hancock recently told the Covid Inquiry that the index’s positive view of the UK had meant he focused on other priorities ahead of Covid.
It was “quite a significant reassurance that turned out to be wrong,” he said.