WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

16/4/2025 12:32

Members of the World Health Organization reached an agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics after more than three years of negotiations, the organisation said early on Wednesday.



The legally binding pact is intended to shore up the world's defences against new pathogens after the COVID-19 pandemic killed millions of people in 2020-22.



The proposal outlines measures to prevent future pandemics and strengthen global collaboration. This includes establishing a pathogen access and benefit sharing system and building geographically diverse research capacities among others.



The agreement also proposes a global supply chain and logistics network while emphasising stronger health system resilience and preparedness.



The health body said in a statement, "After more than three years of intensive negotiations, WHO member states took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics."



The agreement is widely seen as a victory for the global health agency, at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sharp cuts in U.S. foreign funding.