UN chief Guterres: World not prepared for another pandemic

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said the world is not yet prepared for a possible new pandemic.

"We need to do more," the UN Secretary General said on occasion of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness on December 27.

"We must renounce the moral and medical disaster of rich countries hoarding and controlling pandemic health-care supplies, and ensure everyone has access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines," the UN chief said reflecting on the lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the initiative of European Council President Charles Michel, negotiations are underway at the World Health Organisation (WHO) on a global pandemic treaty to improve regulation and prepare for future pandemics.

The treaty is to be adopted at the World Health Assembly, scheduled for May 27 to June 1, 2024; however, the 30-page draft remains highly controversial.

Among other things, the current proposal regulates how quickly information on new pathogens is shared, who produces vaccines and medications and where, and how they are distributed.

Even if the treaty is adopted at the WHO meeting, it would only come into force if enough countries ratify it and would only be valid in those countries.

Wealthy countries have criticized the fact that they would be required to disclose details about the funding of research and that pharmaceutical companies would be required to provide price transparency.

The draft also stipulates that manufacturers waive intellectual property rights to pharmaceuticals in the event of a new pandemic and hand over part of their production to the WHO for distribution.

In Germany, hundreds of constitutional complaints have been filed with the Federal Constitutional Court against the treaty. In September, one was rejected as inadmissible. The complainant feared that the WHO could issue binding directives and override decisions by sovereign states on health measures in the event of self-proclaimed pandemics and health emergencies.