Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stated he wants the Treaty agreed before the end of 2024 in time for the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025. At the 10th meeting of the International Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention,…
On the 14th August 2024, as anticipated by many, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO (Tedros), declared mpox (previously known as monkey pox) a public health emergency of international concern (“PHEIC” pronounced “fake”). This is the second PHEIC determination in two years relating to mpox – the first was in July 2022 and was…
If so, and should it result in an emergency declaration in the UK, then “NO” is going to become a very important word! In a tweet on the 8th August, the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, advised that he was convening the Emergency Committee (EC) (under the International Health Regulations (IHR)) on Wednesday…
The Pandemic Treaty was not defeated as some commentators would have us believe. On the contrary there is, seemingly, the broad political will to finalise negotiations and reach a consensus on the Pandemic Agreement, however, there are still challenges to be overcome – equity remains one such challenge. Is it now time to challenge the…
Contrary to what some commentators would have us believe, the Pandemic Treaty has NOT been defeated. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was mandated on 1st December 2021 to begin drafting and negotiating an agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. On 1st June, 2024, at the 77th World Health Assembly, that mandate was extended…
1st June 2024 was the final day of WHA77. The 194 member countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO): 1. adopted a package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) as presented by the Working Group on Amendments to the IHR (WGIHR); and 2. agreed to extend the mandate for the Intergovernmental Negotiating…
The Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR) have failed to reach consensus on the final package of targeted amendments to the IHR ahead of the start of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA). Their formal announcement can be read here along with the WGIHR Bureau proposed text from 20th May 2024.…
The Eighth Meeting Of The Working Group On Amendments To The International Health Regulations (2005) Took Place On 22nd to 26th April 2024 And Resumed On 16th To 18th May 2024 In Geneva, Switzerland How did we get here? In May 2022, it was agreed at the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) that the WGIHR…
Years of meetings have taken place between unelected, unaccountable and largely unknown bureaucrats to negotiate two World Health Organisation instruments. These being the proposed package of targeted amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and the new “WHO Pandemic Agreement” both of which are scheduled to be voted upon at the 77th World Health Assembly…
Re-inventing the rules was good enough for the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations so why not for the Pandemic Agreement? At the close of the ninth meeting of the INB for a WHO instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response on 28th March 2024 (to be resumed on 29th April 2024), the…