--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the world should unite and focus…" description: "\"I think the world should unite and focus on strong health systems to prepare the whole world to prevent epidemics - or if there is an outbreak, to mana..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg" --- # I think the world should unite and focus on strong health… ![“I think the world should unite and focus on strong health systems to prepare the whole world to prevent epidemics - or if there is an outbreak, to manage it quickly - because viruses don't respect borders, and they don't need visas.” quote by Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg) > “I think the world should unite and focus on strong health systems to prepare the whole world to prevent epidemics - or if there is an outbreak, to manage it quickly - because viruses don't respect borders, and they don't need visas.” [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Global health collaboration is essential because viruses ignore borders, requiring unified prevention and rapid response. **In simple terms:** World must unite on health to stop pandemics. Key Takeaway Support strong, shared health systems. Themes public health global cooperation pandemic preparedness Mood urgent concerned Type policy informational When to use this quote - travel health protocols - vaccine distribution - early warning systems - cross‑border research Key Concepts epidemiology policy international law Questions to Reflect On - How can nations overcome sovereignty concerns for health? - What mechanisms ensure rapid joint action? A Different Perspective Political tensions can hinder cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [With epidemics, people have been standing on the shore, waiting for the gusher to hit the ocean. But to prevent epidemics, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-wolfe/with-epidemics-people-have-been-standing-on-the-shore-waiting-for-the/) [Nathan Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-wolfe/) > [Ensuring investment in health systems will not only help us manage HIV/AIDS, it will also support our efforts to prevent and treat other communicable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/ensuring-investment-in-health-systems-will-not-only-help-us-manage/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [So let me tell you, as you prepare to go off into the world, remember six rules: Trust yourself, Break some rules, Don't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/so-let-me-tell-you-as-you-prepare-to-go-off-into-the-world-remember/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [ Maybe the purpose of the space program \[NASA\] is to prepare the world for Big Brother - the New World Order. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-hovind/maybe-the-purpose-of-the-space-program-nasa-is-to-prepare-the-world/) [Kent Hovind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-hovind/) > [Prepare yourself for the world, as athletes used to do for their exercises; oil your mind and your manners, to give them the necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/prepare-yourself-for-the-world-as-athletes-used-to-do-for-their/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [To be able to achieve the laudable goals (of preventing and treating HIV/AIDS), especially for us in sub-Saharan Africa, there is the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dramani-mahama/to-be-able-to-achieve-the-laudable-goals-of-preventing-and-treating/) [John Dramani Mahama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dramani-mahama/) > [Without strong health systems in place, the higher the population density, the more difficult it becomes to prevent and control outbreaks, and not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/without-strong-health-systems-in-place-the-higher-the-population/) [Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/) > [Health systems usually deal with the consequences of violence. We normally, in the health system, don't have the tools to prevent it, because these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-frenk/health-systems-usually-deal-with-the-consequences-of-violence-we/) Julio Frenk > [The burden of health care shouldn't be borne by the poorest families. We should have equity within health systems so that families are able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/the-burden-of-health-care-shouldn-t-be-borne-by-the-poorest-families/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [The biggest public health challenge is rebuilding health systems. In other words, if you look at cholera or maternal mortality or tuberculosis in Haiti,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/the-biggest-public-health-challenge-is-rebuilding-health-systems-in/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [I think the Scandinavian health systems are better when it comes to preventative care than the German system, because in the Scandinavian systems, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lauterbach/i-think-the-scandinavian-health-systems-are-better-when-it-comes-to/) [Karl Lauterbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lauterbach/) > [“ARTISTS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olen-steinhauer/artists-of-the-world-unite/) [Olen Steinhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olen-steinhauer/) > [Black women all over the world should re-unite and re-examine the way history has portrayed us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buchi-emecheta/black-women-all-over-the-world-should-re-unite-and-re-examine-the-way/) [Buchi Emecheta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buchi-emecheta/) > [The idea that the world can unite without being regulated is clearly an illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-verhofstadt/the-idea-that-the-world-can-unite-without-being-regulated-is-clearly/) [Guy Verhofstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-verhofstadt/) > [Underachievers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose except your fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/underachievers-of-the-world-unite-you-have-nothing-to-lose-except/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) ## More by Tedros Adhanom > [We live in a world at constant risk of public health emergencies. In our increasingly interconnected world, public health emergencies can affect anyone, anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/we-live-in-a-world-at-constant-risk-of-public-health-emergencies-in/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [I contracted malaria while working in the field. That was the impetus for me to pursue a doctorate in community health. As a young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-contracted-malaria-while-working-in-the-field-that-was-the-impetus/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Like other conflict-affected regions, Africa continues to see religious, ethnic, and politically motivated conflicts. Extremist violence is now entrenched in several parts of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/like-other-conflict-affected-regions-africa-continues-to-see/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [New malaria cases fell by 21 percent between 2010 and 2015 worldwide, and malaria death rates fell by 29 percent in the same period.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/new-malaria-cases-fell-by-21-percent-between-2010-and-2015-worldwide/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Strong health and disease surveillance systems halt epidemics that take lives, disrupt economies, and pose global health security threats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/strong-health-and-disease-surveillance-systems-halt-epidemics-that/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Soon after joining the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia, I was called upon as part of team to respond to a malaria outbreak. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/soon-after-joining-the-ministry-of-health-in-ethiopia-i-was-called/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [My experience in Ethiopia helped shape my vision for WHO. We need to promote evidence-based decision-making and awareness. Specifically, we need to advocate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/my-experience-in-ethiopia-helped-shape-my-vision-for-who-we-need-to/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Depression is a leading cause of ill health and disability, and many do not have access to mental health services and face significant social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/depression-is-a-leading-cause-of-ill-health-and-disability-and-many/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Health is both the foundation of my academic and professional careers and a personal passion. I know first-hand the important role health security plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/health-is-both-the-foundation-of-my-academic-and-professional-careers/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Expanding health coverage is not a technical issue but a political one; it should be seen as a right and a means to development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/expanding-health-coverage-is-not-a-technical-issue-but-a-political/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [The specter of climate change threatens worsening natural disasters, rapid urbanization, forced migration, and economic hardship for the most vulnerable. Despite significant global advances,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/the-specter-of-climate-change-threatens-worsening-natural-disasters/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Our biggest achievement was health-sector reform. The success was in making sure that primary health care was the center of gravity in our health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/our-biggest-achievement-was-health-sector-reform-the-success-was-in/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [I think any position in any international organization should be merit-based.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-think-any-position-in-any-international-organization-should-be/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Scaling up community health workers and health system capacity must be a fundamental component of our efforts to achieve universal health coverage, which will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/scaling-up-community-health-workers-and-health-system-capacity-must/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [That all-too-common gap - between where the doctors, facilities and resources are based and where the individuals suffering from HIV live - had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/that-all-too-common-gap-between-where-the-doctors-facilities-and/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) [Explore all 57 Tedros Adhanom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) ## More Focus quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) [Browse all 11,734 Focus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the world should unite and focus on strong health systems to prepare the whole world to prevent epidemics - or if there is an outbreak, to manage it quickly - because viruses don't respect borders, and they don't need visas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tedros Adhanom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus-on-strong-health-systems-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Focus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus-on-strong-health-systems-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c8/tedros-adhanom-11915_focus_i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus_1817488.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the world should unite and focus on strong health systems to prepare the whole world to prevent…” — Tedros Adhanom", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tedros Adhanom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the world should unite...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus-on-strong-health-systems-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/i-think-the-world-should-unite-and-focus-on-strong-health-systems-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```