Pandemic agreement adopted at WHO

The World Health Assembly (WHA) - the main decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO) - has adopted a crucial agreement on preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics. With 124 votes in favor, none against and 11 abstentions, the draft agreement on preventing and combating pandemics was adopted in committee by the World Health Assembly, with the final vote considered a formality. The announcement was made by Esperance Luvindao, Namibia's health minister and chair of the committee, following a show of hands vote at the request of Slovakia. Countries that abstained included Iran, Israel, Russia, Italy, Slovakia and Poland, AFP reports.

• Importance of the agreement

According to consilium.europa.eu, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the deep vulnerabilities of healthcare systems around the world. No government can respond effectively to a global health crisis on its own. The agreement proposed by the WHO is intended to create a legally binding international framework that ensures better coordination and cooperation between states.

• Objectives of the agreement: solidarity, transparency and fairness

According to the European Council, this international agreement aims to: Strengthen pandemic response capacities at local, national and international level; Equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools; Increase transparency and accountability in the management of health crises; Integrate health into all relevant public policies. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, declared during the pandemic in 2021: "We must create an environment in which every scientist, every health worker, every government can stand in solidarity for a common cause."

• Benefits of a coherent international framework

The agreement proposed by the WHO promises a number of essential improvements:1. Early detection and prevention of pandemics; Increasing global laboratory capacity;

International cooperation in surveillance of emerging diseases; Rapid exchange of information and genetic data. 2. More effective alert systems; Introducing differentiated alert levels for risk assessment; Using digital technologies for real-time communication; Transparency in the justification of public health measures. 3. Coordinated global response; Ensuring continuous access to essential medical supplies; Creating global strategic stockpiles of equipment and medicines; Sending specialized international teams to affected areas. 4. Promoting research and innovation; Global coordination for the development of effective vaccines and treatments; Facilitating the sharing of biological samples and scientific data; Supporting the pharmaceutical industry to scale up production. 5. Combating inequalities in access to treatments

Lessons learned from programs such as COVAX and ACT-A; Establishing mechanisms to prevent the marginalization of countries with limited resources; Allocating resources more equitably according to needs.

• Challenge of effective implementation

While the adoption of the agreement is a significant step, the challenge of effective implementation remains. Strengthening public health systems, establishing clear reporting and evaluation mechanisms at the national level, and regaining the trust of citizens are essential elements for long-term success. In this regard, the agreement also emphasizes the importance of combating disinformation, a key factor that has affected the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.