New plan for pandemics

FIVE years after Covid-19 triggered lockdowns, economic uncertainty and killed millions, the World Health Organisation's (WHO) member countries have agreed on a draft "pandemic treaty" that sets guidelines on how the international community might confront the next global health crisis.

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After the world's largely disastrous response to the coronavirus, countries tasked the WHO with overseeing a pandemic treaty in 2021.

Negotiations on an agreement expected to be adopted next month at the UN health agency's annual meeting in Geneva concluded early yesterday.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus heralded it as a historic moment, saying countries have proven that "in our divided world, nations can still work together to find common ground and a shared response".