WHO member states adopt landmark pandemic accord

Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement, the UN health body said in a statement, although the US' absence from the agreement casts a long shadow over its effectiveness.

- Rhythma Kaul

NEW DELHI:

The agreement, which is legally binding, came into being because of the challenges faced during the Covid-19 crisis and the disjointed response to it, and aims to ensure countries work together for more effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics.

"The landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and driven by the goal of making the world safer from—and more equitable in response to—future pandemics," read the statement.