In a historic and legally binding pact, the World Health Organization agreed on how to handle a future world pandemic.
“The deal essentially gives WHO members more teeth in terms of their preparedness, response, and prevention of future pandemics,” says Ricardo Matute, Policy Engagement Advisor with the Governing Pandemics Team at Geneva Graduate Institute’s Global Health Center.
After three years of intensive negotiations, the new agreement is seen as a victory for the global organization. During the talks, one point of tension arose when deciding how to fairly share drugs and vaccines between wealthy countries and poorer ones. Ultimately, national governments will be required to ensure pandemic-related drugs and vaccines are globally accessible and will grant the World Health Organization oversight of the global supply chain of medical materials. Simultaneously, it will allow for more local levels of pandemic-related treatment production. The historic deal is only the second time in the 75-year history of the WHO that member countries have reached a legally binding agreement.
