WHO head supports the “Pandemic Treaty” to deal with future outbreaks | Coronavirus pandemic news

As part of the comprehensive reforms envisaged by member states, the head of the World Health Organization called for the rapid launch of global negotiations to reach agreement on an international treaty on pandemic prevention.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at his annual ministerial meeting on Monday that the United Nations health agency faces “serious challenges” to maintain its COVID-19 response measures at current levels and requires sustainable and flexible funding.

Earlier in the day, the health ministers of various countries agreed to study ambitious reform proposals put forward by independent experts to strengthen the capacity of WHO and countries to contain the new virus.

Ministers from the 194 member states of the WHO will meet on November 29 to decide whether to initiate negotiations on a pandemic treaty.

“I think one of the recommendations that can best strengthen WHO and global health security is the recommendation on a pandemic preparedness and response treaty, which can also strengthen relations between member states and promote cooperation. This is a ripe idea. “Tedros said.

In the closing speech of the WHO Virtual Annual Health Assembly, Tedros said that “lack of sharing of data, information, pathogens, technology and resources” is a decisive feature of the pandemic.

“A kind [pandemic] The treaty will promote better sharing, trust and accountability and lay a solid foundation for the establishment of other global health security mechanisms. “

In the 73-year history of WHO, only two international treaties have been negotiated under the auspices of WHO: the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the 2005 International Health Regulations.

According to statistics from Johns Hopkins University, the coronavirus has infected more than 170 million people and caused nearly 3.6 million deaths.

Provide more funding to WHO

On the last day of the week-long conference, WHO member states agreed in a 14-page resolution to “strengthen WHO’s ability to quickly and appropriately assess disease outbreaks that may cause global concern.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at the conference: “We must strengthen global (disease) surveillance and provide the World Health Organization with the power and ability to carry out this important work for people around the world.”

According to the findings of the three independent teams reported to the General Assembly, it is sad that countries and institutions are unprepared for COVID-19. They called for a comprehensive reform of the global warning system and called for a stronger and more independent WHO to help avoid future pandemics.

One of the reports found that UN agencies were too slow to announce so-called public health emergencies of international concern. The WHO issued the highest alert on January 30, 2020.

After several days of discussion, the members agreed to set up a new working group to study and streamline the many recommendations in the report, and put forward specific recommendations for next year’s conference.

The text calls on member states to “ensure that adequate, flexible, sustainable and predictable funding is provided for the WHO programme budget.”

Only about 16% of the WHO budget comes from regular dues, and the rest comes from voluntary and large-scale earmarked donations.

Monday’s resolution also called on all countries to strengthen their core public health capabilities, improve their ability to detect new threats, and effectively communicate such threats at home and abroad.

Mike Ryan, WHO’s director of emergency situations, welcomed these decisions. He said: “Now pathogens have the upper hand. They appear more frequently on an out-of-balance planet, and often appear quietly.

He said: “We need to transform the things that exposed us in this pandemic, our interconnections, and we need to transform them into a force.”

Chile’s ambassador Frank Tressler Zamorano, representing 60 countries, said that an epidemic treaty would help “response to the calls of many experts and reset the system”.

At the same time, the resolution did not explicitly support the expert’s suggestion that, without waiting for the approval of the relevant country, a broader power should be delegated to the WHO to conduct investigations or communicate on health threats.