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COVID-19

WHO Member States Adopt Pandemic Agreement Amid US Withdrawal Fears

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The World Health Organization's (WHO) Member States have formally adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement, a legally binding pact aimed at ensuring countries work together for more effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics. The agreement, born out of the challenges faced during the Covid-19 crisis, requires participating manufacturers to allocate a target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines, and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access. Despite the US' absence from the agreement, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed it as a victory for public health, science, and multilateral action.

Key Takeaways:

  • The WHO Pandemic Agreement is a landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly, culminating over three years of intensive negotiations.
  • The agreement aims to ensure countries work together for more effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics.
  • Participating manufacturers from signatory countries will allocate a target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines, and tests to the WHO during a pandemic.
  • The agreement sets out principles, approaches, and tools for international coordination to strengthen the global health architecture.
  • The treaty guarantees that countries sharing virus samples will receive tests, medicines, and vaccines.
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system will play a key role in equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products.

Statistics:

  • 20%: The target allocation of vaccines, medicines, and tests that participating manufacturers will make available to the WHO during a pandemic.
  • 78th: The World Health Assembly that adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
  • 3 years: The duration of intensive negotiations leading to the adoption of the agreement.

Sources:

  • WHO (no date) - WHO Pandemic Agreement: a landmark decision for global cooperation.
  • Hindustan Times (no date) - WHO Member States adopt pandemic agreement amid US withdrawal fears.

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