New Delhi: Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday formally adopted by consensus the world’s first Pandemic Agreement, the UN health body said in a statement, although the US’ absence from the agreement casts a long shadow over its effectiveness.
The agreement, which is legally binding, came into being because of the challenges faced during the Covid-19 crisis and the disjointed response to it, and aims to ensure countries work together for more effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics.
“The landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics,” read the statement.
The pact is aimed to ensure that drugs, therapeutics and vaccines are globally accessible when the next pandemic hits. It requires participating manufacturers from signatory countries to allocate a target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines, and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access.
But with the US in the process of withdrawing from WHO, the effectiveness of the agreement is unclear.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said, “The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration, and commitment of our member states to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement.”
“The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats. It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during Covid-19.”
The WHO Pandemic Agreement sets out the principles, approaches and tools for better international coordination across a range of areas, in order to strengthen the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This includes through the equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
The steps to be taken for countries mentioned in the agreement for implementation of the agreement includes launching a process to draft and negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG). The treaty guarantees that countries which share virus samples will receive tests, medicines and vaccines.
According to the agreement, pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the PABS system will play a key role in equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products by making available to WHO “rapid access targeting 20% of their real time production of safe, quality and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for the pathogen causing the pandemic emergency.” The distribution of these products to countries will be carried out on the basis of public health risk and need, with particular attention to the needs of developing countries.
“Starting during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, governments from all corners of the world acted with great purpose, dedication and urgency, and in doing so exercising their national sovereignty, to negotiate the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement that has been adopted today,” said Teodoro Herbosa, secretary, Philippines department of health, and president of this year’s World Health Assembly, who presided over the agreement’s adoption.
“Now that the agreement has been brought to life, we must all act with the same urgency to implement its critical elements, including systems to ensure equitable access to life-saving pandemic-related health products. As Covid was a once-in-a-lifetime emergency, the WHO Pandemic Agreement offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on lessons learned from that crisis and ensure people worldwide are better protected if a future pandemic emerges.”