Who adopts a global agreement but the absence of the US raises concerns

WORLD:

The World Health Organization approved a milestone agreement on Tuesday to boost worldwide readiness for future pandemics, marking the end of the three years of negotiations led by the chaotic response to COVID-19.

The applause broke out at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, as Member States have approved the legally binding agreement, which aims to ensure fair access to medical tools such as vaccines, therapies and diagnostics during future global emergencies.

“The deal is a victory for public health, science and polymers. It will ensure that, collectively, we can better protect the world from future pandemic threats,” said General Manager Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

According to the agreement, pharmaceutical manufacturers in the participating countries should retain 20% of the medical products associated with the pandemic-including vaccines, therapeutic and tests-for which.

These commissions will be redistributed to low and medium-income countries to avoid congestion and inequalities that plague the global response of COVID-19.

However, the absence of the United States – traditionally, the largest economic rate that has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the treaty.

Meanwhile, US Minister of Health Kennedy Jr. He told Fox News that Washington would not participate in the who’s who’s who.

US negotiators have been removed from the process, after President Donald Trump launched a formal withdrawal from where after taking over his duties in January, a move that stretches relations between the World Health Service and Washington.

As a result, the United States will not be legally bound by the new agreement, despite the fact that they have invested billions in vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pact, while being a historical scope, does not include enforcement mechanism. Countries that do not apply its provisions will not face sanctions, underlining the ongoing dependence on voluntary compliance and diplomatic good will.

Global health supporters welcomed the agreement, but recognize the limits imposed by political divisions.
Without the full participation of the major powers, including the US, there are questions about how fair and coordinated the next global pandemic reaction can be.

The deal was concluded after Slovakia called for a vote on Monday, caused by the prime minister of the vaccine that the country is opposed to the adoption of the treaty.

Eventually, 124 nations voted in favor, no one opposed it and 11 – including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran, were chosen to abstain.

Some public health professionals regarded agreement as progress to improve global health equality, especially as low-income countries were left behind in the vaccine and distribution of testing during the Covid-19 crisis.

“It contains critical provisions, especially in research and development, that – if implemented – could shift the global pandemic reaction to larger shares,” said Michelle Childs, Director of Policy Defense to The Drugs for UndLed Diseases Initiative, speaking to the media.

However, others criticized the agreement as remnants of the original objectives. They warned that without effective enforcement mechanisms, the pact cannot deliver during the next pandemic.

“It’s an empty shell … it’s hard to say that this is a condition with a constant obligation where there is a strong commitment … It is a good starting point.

But it should be developed, “said Gian Luca Burci, an academic adviser to the World Health Center at the Graduate Geneva Institute.

The treaty will not enter into force until an accompanying annex to exchanging pathogens is completed. The WHO said that the negotiations in this appendix would begin in July, with the aim of presenting it for adoption at a future World Health Assembly.

A western diplomatic source noted that reaching consensus in this appendix could last for two years.