World must now build on the pandemic treaty

Hindustan Times

21-05-2025

The world now has its first pandemic treaty that will hopefully orient its preparedness and response to avoid a repeat of the suffering endured during the Covid-19 pandemic. Member-States of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the landmark agreement at the ongoing World Health Assembly at Geneva. The treaty's birth has certainly not been smooth. Mooted in 2021, the initial deadline of 2024 expired amid a sea of distrust between the global South and North and swirling misinformation — such as the WHO assuming sweeping powers over sovereign member-States on ordering vaccine mandates, lockdowns, etc, forcing the global health body to issue a denial. Even now, crucial pandemic management aspects will likely have to wait for an annexure expected in a year. Key among these is pathogen access and benefit sharing (Pabs) or easier access to vaccines, life-saving treatments, and other such resources for a member-State in exchange for data on any novel pathogen surfacing within its jurisdiction. If Covid-time talks are a precedent, this will be one of the toughest hurdles. Developed nations — where the bulk of research on the relevant areas happens — had a tightfisted response to the developing and least developed world's call for sharing from their stock. On calls to ease intellectual property rights held on pandemic essentials, harnessing the TRIPS mechanism, they were unyielding.
Another factor that will have a significant impact on the treaty's eventual effectiveness is the absence of the US, at WHO and within the list of likely signatories. Given it is a powerhouse of pathology and medicine research, its rejection of the treaty has serious implications for technology-sharing and surveillance, among others, hindering pandemic management. And its refusal to fund WHO — it was the body's largest historical funder — will mean the watchdog is left with very little teeth unless China or Europe fills the vacuum. The pandemic treaty is certainly a foundation, but if an edifice of global health cooperation can be raised remains to be seen.