Key Elements of Proposed Global Pandemic Agreement 

AFP/APP

Geneva: Countries are in the final stages of negotiations to establish a global agreement on pandemic preparedness and prevention, following two years of talks spurred by the impact of Covid-19.

Here are five essential components of the draft agreement currently under discussion by national representatives at the World Health Organization’s headquarters in Geneva, as outlined in a draft document obtained by AFP.

Equitable Vaccine Distribution

At the heart of the agreement lies the proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), a novel platform designed to facilitate the rapid sharing of pathogen data with pharmaceutical companies, enabling prompt development of pandemic-fighting products. Negotiating this aspect has proven to be the most challenging.

Concerns have been raised by developing nations regarding the potential risk of data sharing leading to restricted access to resulting vaccines, a scenario experienced at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under PABS, countries would commit to swiftly sharing data on emerging pathogens, with vaccines and other benefits derived from this information to be distributed more equitably. However, while the overarching principle garners widespread support, the specifics are subject to debate.

Countries are deliberating whether PABS should entail pharmaceutical manufacturers allocating 10 percent of their production to the WHO for global distribution, potentially including free provision for frontline health workers worldwide.

Additionally, another 10 percent could be allocated to the WHO at a not-for-profit price. 

WHO’s Mandate Limits

In this segment, nations would progressively enhance their capacities for pandemic prevention and surveillance.

Subject to available resources, countries would develop, fortify, and enact comprehensive national plans for pandemic prevention.

These plans would encompass activities such as regular immunization, managing biological risks in laboratories, combating antimicrobial resistance, and preventing disease transmission from animals to humans.

While this section has garnered substantial agreement from working groups, it is pending final approval. Negotiators are also deliberating whether, and to what extent, to expand the agreement’s scope to include surveillance of animal and environmental health to detect pandemic threats.

However, some express concerns that this expansion may exceed the WHO’s mandate.

Sustainable Financing Solutions

Article 20 of the preliminary agreement addresses sustainable financing. Certain developing nations lack the resources to match Western standards of pandemic preparedness and pathogen surveillance.

Conversely, developed countries hesitate to finance these efforts without tangible commitments. According to the current draft, countries would commit to sustaining or enhancing domestic funding for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

Additionally, they would allocate additional funds to assist developing nations in implementing the agreement, primarily through grants and concessional loans.

Global Health Distribution

In an attempt to smooth out the flaws exposed by Covid-19, a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network would be set up for equitable, timely and affordable access to pandemic-related health products.

During pandemic emergencies, countries would prioritize sharing pandemic-related health products through the network so that they can be distributed equitably based on public health risk and need.

Each country would also be asked to avoid stockpiling pandemic-related health products that unnecessarily exceed the quantities needed. 

Switzerland, for instance, destroyed more vaccines against the virus causing the Covid-19 pandemic than it ever administered during the crisis.

Sovereignty Assured in Draft

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has consistently raised concerns about the surge of misinformation and disinformation during the negotiations for the pandemic agreement.

Particularly, there has been speculation about what powers the agreement would grant to the WHO and its leader.

Amidst allegations suggesting that the agreement might allow the UN health agency to interfere with countries’ sovereignty regarding their health policies, the preliminary text explicitly states that the agreement does not grant the WHO any authority to dictate, change, or impose national or domestic laws, nor does it allow for the imposition of measures such as travel bans or vaccination mandates.