{"id":46873,"date":"2025-10-27T14:26:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T08:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=46873"},"modified":"2025-10-28T13:35:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T08:05:48","slug":"who-adopts-first-ever-pandemic-agreement-key-highlights-from-world-health-assembly-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/who-adopts-first-ever-pandemic-agreement-key-highlights-from-world-health-assembly-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO Adopts First-Ever Pandemic Agreement: Key Highlights from World Health Assembly 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>WHO Pandemic Agreement Latest News<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Member States of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/world-health-organization-who\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">World Health Organization (WHO)<\/a>\u00a0have unanimously adopted the world\u2019s first Pandemic Agreement at the 78th World Health Assembly.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This historic decision follows over three years of negotiations initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/li>\n<li>The agreement, which is\u00a0<strong>legally binding<\/strong>, aims to strengthen global preparedness, response, and equity in handling future pandemics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>World Health Assembly (WHA)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO).<\/li>\n<li>It is composed of delegates from all WHO Member States.<\/li>\n<li>The Assembly meets annually to determine policies, approve budgets, and review work programs.<\/li>\n<li>The assembly is held at\u00a0<strong>Geneva, Switzerland<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Functions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sets WHO\u2019s policies and priorities.<\/li>\n<li>Appoints the Director-General of WHO.<\/li>\n<li>Approves WHO\u2019s budget and work programs.<\/li>\n<li>Adopts international treaties and agreements under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.<\/li>\n<li>Monitors global health trends and coordinates international responses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Notable Achievements<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Adoption of the International Health Regulations (IHR) \u2013 legal framework for global health security.<\/li>\n<li>Eradication of Smallpox (1980) \u2013 declared by WHA.<\/li>\n<li>Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003) \u2013 the first international health treaty.<\/li>\n<li>Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework (2011).<\/li>\n<li>Adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement (2025) \u2013 historic legal agreement post-COVID-19.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Recent Focus Areas<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness<\/li>\n<li>Universal Health Coverage (UHC)<\/li>\n<li>Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)<\/li>\n<li>Health equity and access to essential medicines<\/li>\n<li>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Key Highlights of WHO Pandemic Agreement<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The pandemic agreement was adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly.<\/li>\n<li>Full implementation awaits the finalization of key mechanisms by May 2026, followed by ratification by at least 60 countries for it to enter into force.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Legal Framework and Historical Significance<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>This is only the second international legal agreement under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.\n<ul>\n<li>The first was the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>It marks a milestone in global health governance and pandemic resilience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Objective<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The agreement aims to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, guided by equity, solidarity, transparency, and scientific evidence.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>It also respects the sovereign rights of states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Prevention and Surveillance<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Countries are encouraged to:\n<ul>\n<li>Develop and implement national pandemic prevention plans.<\/li>\n<li>Improve early detection and control of infectious diseases.<\/li>\n<li>Focus on areas like routine immunisation, lab safety, antimicrobial resistance, and zoonotic disease prevention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Sustainable Local Production<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Nations should:\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure equitable distribution and rapid scale-up of pandemic-related health products (e.g., vaccines).<\/li>\n<li>Aim for sustainable, timely, and fair access to these products during pandemics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Technology Transfer<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Technology and knowledge transfer, particularly to developing countries, should be encouraged on\u00a0<strong>mutually agreed terms<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Use of licensing, financing, and regulatory incentives to facilitate transfer.<\/li>\n<li>Promote regional\/global tech hubs coordinated by WHO.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>A new system (PABS) will enable rapid sharing of pathogen data with manufacturers.<\/li>\n<li>In return, manufacturers must provide\u00a0<strong>20% of real-time production<\/strong>\u00a0to WHO (10% as donations, rest at affordable prices).<\/li>\n<li>Participation is open to all companies, regardless of location.\n<ul>\n<li>Detailed mechanism to be negotiated and finalized by\u00a0<strong>May 2026<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Supply Chain and Logistics<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>A Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network will be established for equitable and timely access to health products.<\/li>\n<li>Countries should use the network during emergencies to ensure need-based, fair distribution.<\/li>\n<li>WHO will coordinate its structure and operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Respect for National Sovereignty<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The agreement does not grant WHO authority to impose or mandate national laws or pandemic response actions (e.g., lockdowns, vaccine mandates, travel bans).<\/li>\n<li>It ensures state sovereignty is preserved in all aspects of implementation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Absence of USA from the Pact<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The US\u2019 absence from the agreement casts a long shadow over its effectiveness.<\/li>\n<li>U.S. negotiators left discussions about the accord after President Donald Trump began a 12-month process of withdrawing the U.S. from the agency when he took office in January.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>WHO Pandemic Agreement FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong>\u00a0What is the WHO Pandemic Agreement?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong>\u00a0A global treaty to improve pandemic response, prevention, and preparedness through equity, science, and cooperation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong>\u00a0When was the agreement adopted?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong>\u00a0At the 78th World Health Assembly in 2024, after three years of negotiation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong>\u00a0What is PABS?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong>\u00a0The Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing system ensures rapid pathogen data sharing and equitable product distribution.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong>\u00a0Does the agreement affect national sovereignty?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong>\u00a0No. WHO cannot impose laws or actions like lockdowns or vaccine mandates.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong>\u00a0When will the agreement come into force?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong>\u00a0After 60 countries ratify it and finalise mechanisms by May 2026.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/health\/who-members-adopt-pandemic-agreement-born-out-of-disjointed-global-covid-response\/article69596953.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\/item\/20-05-2025-world-health-assembly-adopts-historic-pandemic-agreement-to-make-the-world-more-equitable-and-safer-from-future-pandemics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">WHO<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ndtv.com\/world-news\/key-points-of-who-pandemic-agreement-8458624\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NDTV<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to boost global pandemic preparedness, focusing on equity, surveillance, and tech transfer. Adopted at WHA 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":46861,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,22,332,334],"class_list":{"0":"post-46873","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","10":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affiars","11":"tag-who-adopts-first-ever-pandemic-agreement","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46873"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46873\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}