Syllabus :GS 2/Health
In News
- WHO Member States approved a historic resolution calling for adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, aimed at making the world safer from future pandemics.
WHO Pandemic Agreement
- The agreement is the result of over three years of negotiations initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic to address global inequities and improve pandemic preparedness and response.
- This includes equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
- It was adopted under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.
- It seeks to enhance collaboration among countries, WHO, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders to prevent pandemics and improve response systems.
- It will open for signature and ratification after the annex is finalized. It will enter into force once 60 countries ratify it.
- It complements the International Health Regulations (IHR) amendments adopted in 2024.
| Do you know? – The WHO Pandemic Agreement is the second international legal agreement negotiated under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, the first being the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which was adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2005. |
Key Provisions
- Establishment of a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system, to be negotiated and presented at next year’s World Health Assembly.
- Creation of a Coordinating Financial Mechanism and a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) to ensure equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products.
- Pharmaceutical companies in the PABS system must provide 20% of their real-time production of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to WHO for equitable distribution, prioritizing developing countries.
Significance of an Agreement
- This landmark global accord reflects a unified international commitment to ensure a stronger, faster, and fairer response to future pandemic threats, grounded in equity, solidarity, and scientific evidence.
Source : TH
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