An International Agreement on Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness

Abstract

On March 30, 2021, the heads of state of 26 nations, joined by the executive director of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the president of the European Council, called for an international treaty on pandemic prevention and preparedness-the highest level of political action to avert and respond to future health crises. 1 In an historic action, 194 countries passed a World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution to host a special session devoted solely to an international pandemic agreement, now scheduled for November 29, 2021. 2 The WHA special session will be preceded by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and the G20 group of nations on September 14 and October 30, 2021, respectively. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus referred to these 3 events as critical in shaping global health security. 3 Georgetown University's O'Neill Institute, partnering with the Foundation of the National Institutes of Health, is hosting international expert consultations to support the WHO and its member states in the development of an international agreement on pandemic prevention and preparedness.

Living in an Age of Pandemics—From COVID-19 to Monkeypox, Polio, and Disease X

“…The World Health Assembly placed 3 audacious reforms in motion: a new pandemic instrument, IHR reforms, and WHO sustainable financing. 5 All may come to fruition by the May 2024 World Health Assembly. In September 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response to add political heft and financing for global health security.…”

A Look at COVID-19 Global Health Situation, 1-Year Post Declaration of the Pandemic

“…The response to the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly evolving and many nations have been exposed to severe limitations in managing such an outbreak of this magnitude. 47 The WHO and the IHR Committee have fundamentally revised and will continue to update their protocols to minimize the gaps in global governance. 47 Moreover, most countries still do not yet have an IHR core health system capacity to detect and alert the global community about novel outbreaks.…”

“… 47 The WHO and the IHR Committee have fundamentally revised and will continue to update their protocols to minimize the gaps in global governance. 47 Moreover, most countries still do not yet have an IHR core health system capacity to detect and alert the global community about novel outbreaks. 47 Correspondingly, a country’s success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic varies based on political and economic status, cultural and social needs, demographic and geographic resources, and the nation’s policy orientation.…”

“… 47 Moreover, most countries still do not yet have an IHR core health system capacity to detect and alert the global community about novel outbreaks. 47 Correspondingly, a country’s success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic varies based on political and economic status, cultural and social needs, demographic and geographic resources, and the nation’s policy orientation. 48 In SSA, where the poverty rate is high and many people live in overcrowded slums, African cultural norms and daily social life activities hinder the control of Covid-19 in addition to the difficulty in implementing behavioral practices that are required to manage COVID-19, such as maintaining a social distance of at least 1 m and frequent handwashing.…”

Can geopolitics derail the pandemic treaty?

“…The covid-19 pandemic has undeniably exposed gaps in global health governance, in particular the limitations of the existing rule book—the International Health Regulations (IHR)—and the institutional capacities of WHO. Stronger enforcement, oversight power, and possibly sanctioning are needed to enhance reporting, transparency, and international exchange of data, and to ensure global cooperation in the distribution of vaccines and other resources 6. Many countries proposing a pandemic treaty hope that a new instrument would help break the cycle of panic and neglect and close the political gap by elevating action to higher levels of authority and oversight than is the case with the IHR.…”