Member states of WHO adopt global pandemic treaty
▪ Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) at its 78th World Health Assembly has adopted a legally binding treaty under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.
▪ It is aiming to strengthen health security and ensure equitable pandemic responses.
▪ The pandemic treaty, which has been adopted without the United States, is the only the second legally binding accord in the WHO’s 75-year history, the first being Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 2003.
▪ The treaty lays down principles for international cooperation to strengthen global health
architecture and ensure timely and equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics during pandemics.
▪ The treaty says participating manufacturers will have to allocate 10% of their production of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics to the WHO. Another 10% will then be supplied at “affordable prices”.
