WHO countries strike landmark agreement on tackling future pandemics

After over three years of negotiations, countries reached a landmark accord at the World Health Organization’s headquarters to address future pandemics, aiming to prevent past mistakes from the Covid-19 crisis. The 32-page agreement includes a proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) to enhance data sharing for quick pandemic response, despite lingering disagreements about technology transfers to developing nations. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the deal as a significant milestone for global cooperation, emphasizing the necessity for equitable pandemic preparedness and response.