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Coronavirus: How WHO can deal with future pandemics

GENEVA – Negotiations on new rules for dealing with the pandemic will begin at the World Health Organization on Thursday, with a target deadline of May 2024 for the treaty to be adopted by 194 countries member of the United Nations health agency.

A new pact is among more than 200 recommendations to strengthen the world’s defenses against new pathogens made by multiple evaluators in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 6.2 million people in the past year. two years.

The WHO itself is facing calls for reform after an independent panel described it as “incompetent” as COVID-19 hit, with limited powers to investigate outbreaks. development and coordination of preventive measures.

The Washington-led effort to build a global pandemic preparedness fund led by the World Bank is one of several initiatives that could determine the future of the 74-year-old body.

WHAT IS DIABETES TREATMENT?

WHO already has binding rules called the International Health Regulations (2005) that set out the obligations of countries where public health events are likely to cross borders. These include notifying WHO immediately of a health emergency and trade and travel measures.

Adopted in the wake of the 2002/3 outbreak of SARS, the regulations are still considered valid for regional epidemics such as Ebola but not sufficient for a global pandemic.

Proposed proposals for the treaty include the sharing of data and genome sequences of emerging viruses and rules for fair vaccine distribution.

An EU official told Reuters that the European Union is pushing for a ban on wildlife markets and encouraging reporting of new viruses or variants.

Member states have until August to decide on the first version of the treaty, which is supported by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He is likely to be elected for a second term in May.

This will be only the second health agreement after the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a legally binding treaty aimed at reducing smoking through taxation and regulations on labeling and advertising. fox.

HOW DO COUNTRIES SEE DISPUTES?

The EU has proposed the treaty and is its biggest backer, with support from the UK, Indonesia, Kenya and others.

The United States will participate in the negotiations but has opposed a binding treaty. India and Brazil have also voiced reservations.

With so many member states involved, securing an agreement can be difficult.

HOW WILL WORK?

As its legal nature remains undetermined, in WHO terminology, a treaty is an “instrument”, of which there are three types – recommendations, regulations and conventions. Among them, automatic regulations are legally binding on members unless they expressly object.

It remains unclear how the 2005 regulations and the new pandemic pact might fit together.

One suggestion is that they complement each other, so that existing rules that apply to local outbreaks with a treaty response only take effect if the WHO declares a pandemic – something it currently does. no duty to do.

It remains to be seen whether negotiators include compliance measures such as sanctions.

WHAT DIFFERENT IN THE WORKS?

Separate talks on a US initiative to revise the 2005 rules are underway this week.

Washington’s proposals aim to increase transparency and give WHO faster access to outbreak sites. Some diplomats say they are likely to appear too ambitious, in the face of objections from China and others expected on the basis of national sovereignty.

China has allowed WHO-led expert teams to visit the COVID-19 epicenter in Wuhan, but the WHO says it still holds clinical data from the initial cases that could hold clues to the origin. of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Reforms to the WHO funding structure to make it more sustainable and resilient in the event of a pandemic are being discussed by WHO member states in another working group.

So far, the United States, which until the pandemic was the WHO’s top donor, has opposed plans to increase its members’ annual contributions.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Catherine Evans)

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