The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced plans to conclude talks aimed at establishing a global agreement to enhance pandemic response efforts by 2025 or earlier if feasible.
Over the past two years, the WHO’s 194 member states have engaged in negotiations aimed at improving international coordination and collaboration in pandemic prevention and management.
Originally targeted for completion this week, the talks were extended due to unresolved disputes between wealthy and less affluent nations, particularly concerning vaccine-sharing and preparedness.
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Despite these challenges, a parallel agreement has been reached to update the existing International Health Regulations (IHR), introducing a new tiered alert system for global health emergencies.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the decisions as historic, stating, “The historic decisions taken today demonstrate a common desire by member states to protect their own people, and the world’s, from the shared risk of public health emergencies and future pandemics,” in a statement.
