The World Health Assembly, which is the body of the World Health Organization (WHO), supported the wording of the Global Pandemic Agreement on Monday. 124 states voted. A two -thirds majority of 83 votes was needed to receive it. 11 countries, including Slovakia, Iran, Poland or Israel, abstained. No delegation voted against.
In Geneva, Switzerland, from 19. To 27 May, the 78th meeting of the World Health Assembly (WHA) is held. On the wording of the pandemic treaty aimed at better preparation for the pandemic and the fight against them has been discussed for several years. Among other things, the proposal confirms the sovereignty of countries in addressing issues of public health within their borders.
Attitude of Slovakia
Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico informed on Saturday that the government decided that the Slovak Republic did not support the agreement, that the so -called. by global consent. In his words, the Pandemic Treaty is harmful to sovereign countries.
The CEO of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhan Ghebreyesus asked Fico on Monday for the Government of the Slovak Republic to change its opinion and not to require a pandemic agreement. Nevertheless, the representative of the Slovak Republic applied for a vote at the evening meeting.
After more than three years of intensive negotiations, the text of the agreement was consensually completed in April. The aim of the document is to improve the detection, readiness and response to future pandemics through better international coordination, exchange of information and a fairer approach to vaccines and medicines.
The negotiations on the agreement were often tense, especially because of the disagreements between rich and developing countries that reminded and criticized unequal access to vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they were often rely on donated vaccines, often getting to them with a large delay. Several of the states that abstained after the vote emphasized their reservations.
Mechanizmus PABS
One of the key points of the agreement is to create a mechanism of access to a pathogen with pandemic potential and access to the benefits of their research such as tests, medicines or vaccines (Pabs – Pathogen Access and Benefit -Sharing). Pabs details are to be fine -tuned by May 2026.
After finalizing the Pabs system, the agreement will be possible to ratify. In order for the agreement to enter into force, it will have to ratify it at least 60 countries.
