GHealth News – The World Health Organization (WHO) is close to finalizing a legally binding treaty aimed at improving global preparedness for future pandemics. After three years of intense negotiations sparked by the COVID-19 crisis, most of the treaty has been agreed upon, with only a few critical issues remaining. Talks in Geneva ran overnight but were paused until Tuesday to resolve final disagreements.
The United States withdrew from the discussions earlier this year under President Donald Trump, but the remaining 192 member states may choose to ratify the treaty once adopted. A major point of contention remains the fair distribution of vaccines and medicines, especially between wealthy and developing countries.
The treaty has faced opposition from right-wing critics who argue it could undermine national sovereignty, a claim WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has strongly denied. If finalized, this would be only the second treaty in WHO’s 75-year history, following the 2003 tobacco control convention.