In March 2021, an extraordinary call for a pandemic treaty was issued by 25 heads of government and international agencies, marking a pivotal moment in global health governance. The ninth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), the final leg of negotiations for the 30-page World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, commenced last week (March 18). This is the most momentous time in global health since 1948. As we approach the World Health Assembly in late May, where the final draft will be presented for approval, the fate of the Pandemic Agreement hangs in the balance, with the risk of collapse looming large amidst contentious debates.
The key features
The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to address the systemic failures revealed by the COVID-19 crisis, with the goal of strengthening global defences and averting future pandemics from spiralling into catastrophic human crisis. The world’s first pandemic treaty aims to “strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response” with “equity as the goal and outcome”. It addresses the searing inequity witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic including a lack of preparedness in countries and the lack of coordination at international levels.
