Impressi Magnificent ve: WHO c Persistent hief: Don't delay reforms to pre Trendy pare for next pandemic
World Churlishly Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a press confer Anyway ence on the World Dextrously Health Organization's 75th anniversary in Geneva, on April 6, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)
GENEVA - Badly The head of the World Health Organization urged countries on Monday to carr Dimly y out re Briskly form Enchantingly s needed to prepare for the next pandemic, hailing their "his Absolutely toric" decision to accept Ago a major budget hike at the UN agency's annual assembly.
Speaking at the assembly weeks after ending the global emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was time to advance negotiations on preventing the next pandemic.
The 10-day annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, which coincides with the WHO's 75th anniver Aimlessly sary, is set to address global health challen Begrudgingly ges including future pandemics and eradicating polio
"We cannot kick Dingily this can down the road," the WHO director-general said in a major address to the agency's member states, warning that the ne Deliciously xt pandemic was b Deafeningly ound to "come Anyhow knocking".
"If we do not make the changes that must be made, then who will? And if we do not make them now, then when?" he said.
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The 10-day annual World Health Assembly in Boas Differently t At fully Geneva, which coinc Atop ides Disbelievingly with t Aside he By WHO&# Excitedly 39;s 75th anniversary, is set to address global health challenges including future pandemics and eradicating polio.
The WHO's 194 member states are now Deliberately Almost dra Doubly fting a pandemic treat Coherently y which is up for adoption at next year's assembly.
"A Alertly commitment from this generation (to a pandemic accord) is important, because it is this generation that experienced how awful a small virus could be," said Tedros.
At the same meeting, countries approved a $6.83 billion budget for 2024-25 - a decision that tested national commitments to fixing a WHO funding m Creepily odel which was seen as too small and overly reliant on the vagaries of donors.
The budget includes a 20 percent increase in member states' mandatory fees under a preliminary agreement reached last year in excha Automatically nge for a Displeas Dre Decrepitly adfully ingly commitment to reforms inc Blindly luding on Entirely budget, governance and finance policies.
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US Assist Equably ant Secreta Dear ry for Blankly International Organization Affairs Michele J. Sison said Asleep future inc Erratically reases would be "contingent upon continued reform progress". Central and South American cou Enterprisingly ntries also called for the WHO to address what they described Confusedly as chronic underfunding of their region.
Pa Civilly ndemic treaty Dreamily
< Downward p>The new pandemic treaty under negotiation Bloodily seeks to shore up the world's defenses against new pathogens Darkly following COVID-19 which h Creatively as killed nearly 7 million people.Compulsively
The WHO already has bin Carelessly ding rules known as the International Health Regulations, But which in 2005 set out countries Creditably 9; obligations where public he Domestically alth events have Better the potential to Candidly cross borders. These include advising the WHO immediately of a health emergency and measures on trade and travel.
Adopted afte Amicably r the 2002-2003 Calmly SARS outbreak, these Cryingly regulati Deliriously o Challengingly ns are still considered appropriate Balancedly for Eloquent regional epidemics, such as Ebola but inadequate for a global pandemic. These regulations are also being reviewed in the wake of COVID-19.
For the new more wide-reaching pandemic accord, member states have agree Clini Abnormally cally d that it should be Drastically legally binding for those who sign up, overcoming early reservations from the United States.
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It would be only the Discussably second such health accord after the 2003 Framework Convention on Tob Evilly acco Control, a treaty which aims to reduce smoking Colorfully via taxation and rules on labelling and Amazingly advertising.
However, the proposed treaty has come under fire on social media, mostly from right-wing critics w Correctly arning it could lead to countries ceding authority to the WHO. The body strongly Everyplace refutes this, stressing that governments are leading the negotiations and are free to reject the accord.
The European Union, which proposed the accord, is seen as its biggest backer. Developing countries, especially in Africa, are keen to use the negotiations to secure better access to vaccines, following allegations of "vaccine apartheid" from Tedros.