In a historic milestone for global public health, Parties today agreed in principle on major and landmark amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005). These amendments are based on more than 300 proposals submitted by countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These aim to improve the capacity of countries to prepare for, detect and respond to public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs) and are part of a package proposed to the World Health Assembly (WHA). Become a part. WHA will be held from May 27th to June 1st, 2024. Negotiators are expected to meet again next week to finalize their work on several remaining issues that need to be finally resolved.
The IHR, first adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1969 and last revised in 2005, aims to encourage collective efforts to manage public health events while minimizing disruption to travel and trade. Designed to make the most of it. They have 196 States Parties, all 194 of his WHO Member States plus Liechtenstein and the Holy See. These Parties have led the process to amend the IHR through the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR). The resumed 8th WGIHR meeting concluded today.
This process is running in parallel with the intergovernmental process to develop international agreements on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. A draft pandemic agreement will also be submitted to the World Health Assembly, with a member state-led negotiation process to resume on May 20.
“The International Health Regulations have served the world for nearly 20 years, and our collective efforts to use this important tool to manage multiple public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, are significant. Experience has demonstrated important areas where the International Health Regulations can be strengthened, to the benefit of all 196 Parties,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “This is historic, as countries come together around improved international mechanisms, with a focus on equity and solidarity, and to protect all peoples around the world and future generations from the effects of epidemics and pandemics. We would like to thank all Member States for their unwavering dedication.”
WGIHR Co-Chair Dr Ashley Bloomfield (New Zealand) said: This demonstrates the importance the world places on being able to effectively prepare for and better respond to the threat of epidemics and pandemics, and that there is strong international consensus on how to proceed with global public health protection. Masu. ”
Dr Abdullah Asiri from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who is also WGIHR Co-Chair, said: Respect for national sovereignty and fairness. Today, we have rallied around a series of powerful amendments that will make international cooperation more effective and easier to implement. ”
A potential new pandemic agreement and revised IHR would be complementary international instruments designed and negotiated by member states to help them better protect their populations from the threat of future pandemics. Dew. While the IHR focuses on building national capacity to detect and respond to public health events that may have an international dimension, the draft Pandemic Agreement focuses on , focuses on a coordinated international response to the pandemic, with a focus on equitable access to diagnostics.
