The World Health Organization and global leaders have recognized the need for improvements in pandemic responses following the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Efforts are underway to finalize a pandemic treaty that aims to establish guidelines for future pandemic responses. Concerns have been raised about the lack of consequences for countries that do not comply with the treaty. A final round of talks involving governments, advocacy groups, and others is scheduled to end soon, with the goal of creating a plan for how countries can better respond to global outbreaks.
WHO’s member countries requested the U.N. health agency to oversee talks for a pandemic agreement in 2021. There are deep divisions among nations and challenges in finalizing the treaty, with debates around issues such as intellectual property rights and national sovereignty. Developing countries are also concerned about being expected to provide virus samples for vaccine development but being unable to afford them. The treaty aims to address the inequities in access to vaccines and other pandemic-related products between rich and poorer nations, which was described by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as a “catastrophic moral failure.”
The draft pandemic treaty proposes that WHO receive a portion of the production of pandemic-related products and that countries disclose their deals with private companies. However, there are concerns about the lack of mechanisms within WHO to hold countries accountable for non-compliance with the treaty. Similar to global climate agreements, the treaty would provide a forum for countries to attempt to hold each other accountable but would not dictate specific actions to governments. Legally binding obligations under the International Health Regulations exist, such as reporting dangerous outbreaks promptly, but these have been violated in the past.
It is essential to determine WHO’s role during a pandemic and how outbreaks can be contained before spreading globally. The pandemic treaty aims to address some of the failures that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen global cooperation in responding to future outbreaks. Some countries are taking individual initiatives to ensure cooperation in future pandemics, such as the Biden administration’s pledge to help 50 countries respond to new outbreaks. The focus is on learning from the mistakes made during the COVID-19 pandemic and improving responses in preparation for future global health crises.
As discussions continue around the finalization of the pandemic treaty, there are disagreements and challenges that need to be addressed. Issues such as national sovereignty, intellectual property rights, and access to vaccines for developing countries are key points of contention. The treaty aims to create a framework for improved global pandemic responses but lacks mechanisms for enforcing compliance. Moving forward, it is crucial for countries to work together to address the shortcomings highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure better preparedness for future health crises. The pandemic treaty represents an opportunity for countries to collaborate and hold each other accountable in responding to global outbreaks.
