More than five years since the COVID-19 pandemic that killed millions of people and devastated economies began, countries are hoping to end more than three years of negotiations on battling future pandemics, as an accord has become even more crucial with new health threats ranging from H5N1 bird flu to measles, mpox, and Ebola.
The negotiations had been scheduled to conclude last June but were extended for a year in a bid to overcome disagreements.
The accord would “give the world better tools” to deal with future outbreaks, said Catharina Boehme, World Health Organization’s assistant director-general for external relations. If an agreement is sealed, the text will be ready for final approval at the WHO annual assembly next month.
In that case, “it would be a first in the history of international agreements,” said Michelle Childs, Director of Policy Advocacy at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative.
One of the main remaining sticking points was Article 11, which deals with technology transfer for production of health products during pandemics – particularly to benefit developing countries. During the pandemic, poorer countries accused rich nations of hoarding vaccine doses and tests.
Childs said that countries funding healthcare research recognized the “need to attach conditions to that funding that ensure public benefit” with the agreement, while several countries with large pharmaceutical industries have opposed the idea of mandatory tech transfers and insisted on it being voluntary.
After humanity’s experience with the COVID pandemic, we should really be more ready and willing to equip ourselves with the necessary tools to face and survive another one, which could quite possibly be much worse. Hopefully our leaders and negotiators can come up with something that goes beyond more than just words.*
