A new insight paper by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance highlights that conflict-driven disease outbreaks are among the top global health threats to watch in 2026, alongside five other major risks shaping global health security.
The six global health threats for 2026
According to Gavi’s 2026 insight report, the key threats are:
-
Conflict-driven outbreaks
-
Wars and humanitarian crises disrupt healthcare, vaccination, and sanitation systems.
-
This creates fertile conditions for outbreaks of diseases like cholera, measles, and polio.
-
Fragile and conflict-affected regions are especially vulnerable.
-
-
Climate-sensitive diseases
-
Climate change is expanding the spread of vector-borne diseases (e.g., dengue, malaria) into new regions.
-
-
Rising health misinformation
-
False information undermines vaccine uptake and public health responses.
-
-
Vaccine-preventable disease resurgence
-
Gaps in immunisation are leading to the return of diseases previously under control.
-
-
Global health funding constraints
-
Budget pressures threaten vaccination programs, surveillance, and emergency response capacity.
-
-
Growing pandemic risk and emerging pathogens
-
Increased human mobility, urbanisation, and environmental change raise the likelihood of new outbreaks.
-
Why conflict-driven outbreaks stand out
The report places particular emphasis on conflict because it multiplies other risks at once:
-
Destroys healthcare infrastructure
-
Displaces populations (crowded camps → faster disease spread)
-
Interrupts vaccination campaigns
-
Limits access to clean water and sanitation
Recent crises show how quickly health systems collapse under conflict, leaving millions exposed to infectious diseases and malnutrition.
