Countries set to reach landmark pandemic preparedness deal
Can the world be better prepared for the next pandemic? That’s the question at the heart of an international agreement being negotiated in Geneva next week. As countries continue to grapple with the long-term impacts of COVID-19, health leaders hope the new agreement will equip the international community with the tools it needs to respond quickly and adequately to potential new outbreaks.
Delegates to this year’s World Health Assembly, scheduled for 19–27 May, will discuss not only pandemic preparedness but also climate-related health risks, environmental justice, mental health, and maternal health. The global forum will test the strength of international cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that there are significant inequalities in access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines both within and between countries. Health services have been overwhelmed, economies have been severely disrupted and almost seven million people have died from the coronavirus .
That has prompted countries to come together to work on a deal that will help the world better deal with the next pandemic, with World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling the document “vital for future generations.”
If the agreement is passed, it would be a major breakthrough in the world’s preparedness for pandemics and other health crises. But negotiations could be difficult: several countries, including the US, have raised concerns about national sovereignty and intellectual property rights. Still, Dr Tedros has expressed “cautious optimism” in recent weeks that consensus can be reached.
The climate crisis is about more than just rising temperatures. It puts lives and health at risk. Extreme weather events and disease outbreaks are on the rise, putting millions at risk. The WHO action plan calls for joint work on climate and health, and provides funding to protect the most vulnerable communities.
The draft plan was published following the adoption of a resolution on the matter at the 2024 World Health Assembly, and delegates are expected to finalise it this year.
Providing affordable, quality, and essential health care to all people is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the international community is still far from achieving this goal: in fact, expanding access to health care has stalled over the past decade.
However, universal health care will be a priority at the Assembly. Delegates will discuss strategies to strengthen primary health care systems, ensure sustainable financing and provide care to vulnerable groups.
Every year, about 300,000 women lose their lives due to pregnancy or childbirth, and more than two million children die in the first month of life. In April, WHO launched the Healthy Start, Hopeful Future campaign to prevent maternal and infant mortality.
It aims to intensify efforts to ensure the well-being and health of women and children in the long term. The Assembly is expected to announce new targets and commitments to combat child and maternal mortality.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, kill tens of millions of people every year. Three-quarters of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Many lives could be saved if more countries adopted effective measures to ensure detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care.
In preparation for the WHO meeting on NCDs and mental health in September, delegates will look at how WHO works with governments, civil society and the private sector to prevent and control these diseases, as well as ways to improve access to health technologies and medicines.
This year has been one of the most difficult in the history of the UN from a financial perspective, with the US announcing its withdrawal from the WHO and other countries cutting development and aid funding.
At this year’s Assembly, Member States will negotiate a 50 percent increase in WHO’s base budget. If approved, the funding increase would provide a major boost at this challenging time. WHO is also appealing for additional voluntary contributions. Additional pledges from Member States and philanthropic organizations are expected.
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