Weak pact

Five years after the world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic and three years after negotiations began, member nations of the World Health Organization have finally agreed on a draft for a pandemic treaty designed to help the global community better prevent and respond to such public health crises.

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The agreement is aimed at averting the world’s fractious, faltering response to the Covid-19 pandemic which left many poor nations with limited access to vaccines and treatments. It would oblige wealthy nations to share key information on pathogens, as well as technology for interventions such as vaccines, with the rest of the world. The wealthiest of nations — the United States of America — though has been withdrawn from the WHO by President Donald Trump and will thus not be ratifying this treaty. This poses significant challenges regarding funds and scientific knowledge — the US, after all, is a powerhouse in medical research and has the deepest pockets. The treaty that has been ratifi