dailyloe.com – World Health Organization member states have extended crucial negotiations on a key pandemic agreement annex. They will reconvene from April 27 to May 1 for talks on pathogen sharing. The goal is to finalize the annex for the World Health Assembly in May.
This decision involves the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system, known as PABS. It is a core component of the broader WHO Pandemic Agreement. Informal discussions will also take place before the formal session.
The Pandemic Agreement was adopted last year by the World Health Assembly. It aims to fix weaknesses exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is stronger global cooperation and equity for future health threats.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised member states’ commitment. He urged delegations to work with trust and solidarity. The focus must be on the common public good and equity.
The PABS annex is designed to ensure rapid pathogen sharing. It also mandates fair sharing of resulting benefits like vaccines. This includes diagnostics and therapeutics developed from shared pathogens.
Negotiators are working intensively to prepare the annex for adoption. Their target is the upcoming World Health Assembly meeting. The system is central to global pandemic preparedness and response.[]
Source: News (English) – World Health Organization
