The effects of the devastating Pandemia COVID-19 are still feeling. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed and the global economy was practically driven.
Global agitation led an international community surprised to follow an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event and ensuring that the world is much better prepared in the future.
The historical decision was taken in the World Health Assembly, the Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Although the formal adoption was Tuesday, WHO Member States overwhelmingly approved the group on Monday (124 votes in favor, 0 objections, 11 abstentions).
This meant that, instead of a vote of biting his nails with last minute surprises (before the conference, Tedros Adhanom ghebreyesus, who generally director, only felt capable of expressing “cautious optimism”), adoption by consensus had a feeling of celebration.
“The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action.“Tedros declared.” It will ensure that, collectively, we can better protect the world from future pandemic threats.
“It is also a recognition of the international community that Our citizens, societies and economies should not be vulnerable to suffer losses again like those suffered during COVID-19. ”
WHO Member States approved the first pandemic agreement on May 19, 2025
'Unique opportunity in life'
Pandemia established gross inequalities between and within countries, when it came to diagnoses, treatments and vaccines, and a central objective of the agreement is to plug gaps and treat any future pandemic in a more fair and efficient way.
“Now that the agreement has been returned to life, we must all act with the same urgency to implement Its critical elements, including systems to guarantee equitable access to health products related to pandemic that saves lives.“, Announced Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, secretary of the Department of Health of the Philippines, and president of the World Health Assembly this year, which presided over the adoption of the agreement.
“As Covid was a unique emergency in life, the WHO pandemic agreement offers a unique opportunity in life to take advantage of the lessons learned from that crisis and ensure that people around the world are better protected if a future pandemic arises.”
The issue of national sovereignty has been raised several times during the process of negotiating the agreement, A reflection of false online statements that somehow tries to control the control of individual countries.
The agreement strives to point out that this is not the case, stating that nothing contained therein gives to who gives any authority to change or interfere with national laws, or force nations to take measures such as prohibiting travelers, imposing vaccines or implementing blockages.
WHO Member States approved the first pandemic agreement on May 19, 2025
11 Abstentions and a US-Show. UU.
11 countries abstained, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran. After the vote, the abstate countries had the opportunity to explain why they made this decision.
The Polish delegate explained that they could not support the treaty before a domestic review, while Russia raised the issue of sovereignty as a concern. Iran's representative said that “the key concerns of developing countries” were not addressed and that they regretted the “lack of binding commitments about access without obstacles and equitable access to medical countermeasures, technology transfer and knowledge, and continuous silence on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures in health systems.”
During the high -level segment that preceded the vote, a notable intervention came from the United States that the WHO processing process has begun, and did not participate in the vote.
In a video aimed at the Assembly, the Secretary of Health of the United States, Robert F. Kennedy, excorted the WHO, accusing the UN agency of having “duplicated with the pandemic agreement that will block all the dysfunction of the Pandemic response of the WHO … we will not participate in that.”
Next steps
Adoption has been acclaimed as an innovative step, but this is only the beginning of the process.
The next step is to put into practice the agreement, by launching a process of launching a process to write and negotiate a pathogen access system and share benefits (PAB) through an intergovernmental work group.
The result of this process will be considered in the World Health Assembly next year.
Once the Assembly adopts the Annex PABS, the agreement will be open for the signature and consideration of the ratification, even by national legislative bodies. After 60 ratifications, it will enter into force.
Other provisions include a new financial mechanism for the prevention of pandemic, preparation and response, and the creation of a global supply chain and a logistics network for “Improve, facilitate and work to eliminate barriers and guarantee equitable, timely, fast, safe and affordable access to health -related health products for needy countries during public health emergencies. International concern, including Pandemia emergencies and for the prevention of such emergencies. “
