WARNING OVER THE WHO PANDEMIC AGREEMENT

THE Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has issued a dire warning about the current draft of the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement.

With the final negotiations imminent, AHF criticises the document’s glaring oversite of equity and transparency, highlighting that it will pave the way for a global health disaster “comparable to or worse than the Covid-19 pandemic” unless these key points are addressed.

“The agreement, as drafted, is a recipe for disaster,” said Dr Kate Ssamula, Country Program Director for AHF South Africa.

“It lacks enforceability, it’s riddled with empty promises, and shockingly, it capitulates to pharmaceutical interests over global health needs. This isn’t precaution, it’s peril.”

The AHF said the agreement promises only 20% coverage of essential health products during future pandemics, “leaving a vast 80% subject to the brutal market competition and scarcity witnessed during the Covid-19 era”.

“This sets the stage for a repeat of past inequities where wealthy nations hoarded lifesaving treatments.

“The draft sidelines crucial voices from civil society and non-governmental organisations despite their proven impact on managing health crises. This exclusion raises serious concerns about the agreement’s fairness and inclusiveness.

“The draft must be revised to ensure equitable access to health resources. With developed countries shaping the agreement to protect drug companies, the rest of the world is left vulnerable and unprepared showcasing blatant upholding of pharma greed,” the AHF said.