Get a pandemic agreement for all, not privileged few
Opinion
By
Peninah Itung
| May 25, 2024
The spectre of Covid-19 still hangs heavy. Its brutal wake-up call exposed the gaping vulnerabilities in our global health architecture, particularly in Africa, where the pandemic laid bare the stark inequities in access to life-saving resources.
Yet, as the ink dries on a proposed World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, a disquieting sense of déjà vu sets in. This agreement, intended to be a bulwark against future public health emergencies, threatens to be a monument to missed opportunities.
Negotiations, riddled with self-interest and a lack of transparency, are prioritising the profits of pharmaceutical companies over the collective health security of the world, a chilling echo of the vaccine nationalism witnessed during Covid-19.
The current draft of the agreement is a pale imitation of what’s needed. It’s riddled with empty promises and lacks teeth to ensure equitable access to health resources during pandemics.
Wealthy nations, once again, seem more concerned with protecting the intellectual property rights of drug companies than with the lives on the line. This prioritisation of profit over people is familiar and tragic for African countries who bore the brunt of such disparity during Covid-19.
READ MORE
History as Junior Starlets qualify for Fifa U-17 Women's World Cup
Kempes hails Junior Starlets, says women's football should now be taken seriously
G7 leaders end summit with warning to China
G7 tension after abortion left out of final statement
Ruto urges G7 to reform global financial system for Africa's benefit
It's no longer tenable for leaders to hide behind the tribal card
Nyoro: Ambitious leader who has Ruto's ear
G7 backs Biden's plan to loan $50B to Ukraine, using Russian-frozen assets
We, at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, stand alongside countless voices in the global health community, urging a course correction. A robust pandemic agreement is crucial, but not one that perpetuates the fragility of health systems in Africa and the wider Global South.
Equity, not exploitation, must be the cornerstone of this agreement. The prevention, preparedness, and response efforts for any future outbreak must prioritize fairness and accessibility to all nations.
The memory of the early days of Covid remains a stark reminder of the consequences of a fractured global health response. At the heart of our concerns is the urgent need for robust accountability mechanisms within the agreement, including independent oversight.
Without clear enforcement frameworks and incentives for compliance, we risk perpetuating the inequities that plagued our response to the pandemic. We call on world leaders to heed the voices of civil society and stakeholders, who are advocating for tangible engagement in the negotiation process.
The proposed compromise for the WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) has been rightly criticised as “shameful, unjust, and inequitable” by other global health players as well. It prioritises the interests of pharmaceutical companies over the fundamental right to health. Developed nations, once again, seem more concerned with protecting private monopolies than fostering collaboration and innovation to combat future pandemics.
This approach is not just morally reprehensible, it’s short-sighted. Pandemics recognise no borders. A robust global health architecture benefits all nations, not just the privileged few. We urge world leaders to rise to the occasion. Let the upcoming WHO assembly be a turning point.
-The writer is the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Africa Bureau Chief
- Ruto makes last ditch effort to pass Finance Bill 2024
- S. Sudan cargo pile up in Mombasa as agents reject levy
- Ndung'u budget could make life worse for Kenyans, experts warn
- Fuel prices drop by up to Sh6.08 per litre in latest EPRA review