The 194 Member States of the World Health Organization are currently negotiating the first. Acknowledging that the world learned many hard lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, governments have agreed that effective mechanisms must be put in place to prevent, prepare, and better respond to the next global health threat.
In recent years, Africa has been exposed to multiple outbreaks of Ebola, cholera, and Covid-19, some occurring simultaneously, and our societies have a wealth of experience responding to them. At the same time, the region continues to grapple with non-communicable diseases and the ongoing challenges of HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, and malaria.Nations now negotiating the pandemic accord include every African country.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the world witnessed the best and worst of humanity. On the one hand, the development of vaccines and sharing of knowledge by scientists across the world were unprecedented. On the other hand, there was a lack of equitable access to these scientific endeavours, with countries being ostracised for sharing information.
Inequities of the distribution of Covid vaccines were more acute for many countries in the global south, which had limited supplies and no immediate capacity to produce. A pandemic accord would enhance collaboration, improve the unity of the world's response, address the equity with which that response is carried out, and increase the speed and efficacy of preparedness and response measures.