How did WHO states agree on pandemics?

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has finalized a historic pandemic accord aimed at preventing and responding to future global health crises.

• The agreement, reached over three years after the COVID-19 outbreak, is a significant milestone in global solidarity.

• The agreement focuses on the proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) to facilitate the swift sharing of pathogen data among nations and pharmaceutical companies.

• The agreement also includes provisions to ensure fair and equitable access to pandemic-related health products, particularly for low- and middle-income countries.

• The agreement addresses gaps in the world’s ability to mount a coordinated response to global health emergencies, including fragmented and delayed data sharing, unequal access to vaccines and other medical tools, lack of standardized protocols, and limited international accountability.

• The agreement reflects a broader commitment to fairness in access, especially for countries that often bear the brunt of health crises without the resources to respond adequately.

• The agreement promises capacity building and international support to strengthen health infrastructure and logistics for lower-income countries.

• The agreement’s realisation will depend heavily on political will and practical implementation.

• The agreement will be presented for formal adoption at the WHO’s annual assembly.