On Monday, member states began the annual assembly of the World Health Organization with optimism for better global preparedness against fatal pandemics like COVID-19 after the ambitious “pandemic treaty” failed last week.
Health authorities are in a race to obtain agreement from governments globally on new approaches to planning and responding to inevitable future pandemics. This will compete with any public election or crisis such as climate change and war that is popping up.
These efforts were put on hold after the ambitious move to adopt a pandemic ‘treaty’ at this week’s WHA fell flat as two and a half years of work was stalled by disagreements about sharing information of pandemic causing pathogens and technology used in combating them.
For example, stakeholders believe that WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) established in 2004 are ripe for amendment, which will take place during this assembly. For instance, countries ought to improve their ability to detect warnings signs, identify, diagnose and report diseases rapidly while collaborating internationally.
Another idea is that “pandemic emergency” would be announced by the WHO director-general.
According to envoys close to negotiations, although an agreement may become imminent, similar disputes between rich countries and developing ones have delayed progress on the pandemic treaty. There still are issues surrounding proposed ‘transfer of technology’ as well as establishment of a new fund under WHO in 2030 designed to help boost pandemic fighting capacity especially for developing countries.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who is the current WHO Director-General said that this pause should not be seen as a failure hence he appreciates how challenging it can be having such timeline considering that global treaties usually take many years until members reach an agreement.
“Given an opportunity missed if nothing comes out of WHA,” remarked Yuanqiong Hu, Senior Legal and Policy Adviser at Doctors Without Borders. She added: “If they don’t come up with a clear road map, how are they going to finish this process?”
He went on: “Meaning the solution is in your hands now for this World Health Assembly to decide what that way is.”
