For more than two years, countries around the world have worked together toward a historic and generational goal – ensuring we are better prepared for the next pandemic by learning lessons from the devastation caused by COVID-19.
At a time when conflict, politics and economics have caused destruction, discord and division, sovereign governments have found a way to work collaboratively to forge a new global agreement to protect the world from inevitable future pandemic emergencies.
This essential effort, led by hundreds of negotiators in charge of more than 190 nations, was launched in the midst of the most devastating event of our lifetimes.
Based on official counts, COVID-19 has left more than 7 million people dead. But the real death toll is probably much higher. The coronavirus pandemic has also wiped billions, if not billions, from the global economy. Social upheaval – from job losses to school closures – has left its mark on communities across the world.
At the height of this catastrophe, with hospitals around the world filled with patients cared for by overworked healthcare workers, more than two dozen world leaders came together to issue a global call for unity.
They said the world must never again be so vulnerable to another pandemic. They agreed that governments should never again fail to cooperate in sharing vital information, medical equipment and medicines. And they stressed that never again can the world’s poorest countries and communities be at the back of the queue when it comes to accessing life-saving tools like vaccines.
Equity, we said then, and continue to say now, must be our guiding light.
What was needed, presidents and prime ministers then said, was a historic pact that committed countries to work together, across borders, recognizing that deadly viruses do not respect borders, do not see race and do not recognize wealth. .
This spurred the decision by the 194 Member States of the World Health Organization to undertake two parallel and landmark efforts: to begin negotiating a first pandemic agreement to prevent, prepare for and respond to pandemics, while also making a a series of specific changes to the existing International Health Regulations, the global manual that countries use to detect, warn and respond to public health emergencies.
These efforts were launched at a time when social and political division and polarization created seemingly impenetrable barriers between many countries.
But rather than succumbing to geopolitical pressures, these government-led efforts have brought nations together to make the world safer against the next pandemic.
The results of these vital negotiations are scheduled to be considered at the 77th World Health Assembly, which opens in Geneva on 27 May.
With the finish line so close, the stakes facing the world have never been higher. Key questions remain to be resolved, notably how the pandemic agreement will ensure equity for all countries when it comes to preparing them to prevent or respond to the next pandemic.
The “operationalization” of equity has been a regular refrain during negotiations.
This involves ensuring that countries have guaranteed real-time access to the capabilities needed to protect their health workers and communities from a pandemic threat, so that we do not see a repeat of inequalities in access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, personal protective equipment and other vital tools.
Operationalizing equity also means ensuring that all countries have strong health systems prepared to respond to future pandemics, wherever they emerge.
Global health security depends on ensuring that there are no weak links in the chain of defense against pathogens with pandemic potential. Global health equity is critical to ensuring that all links in the chain are strong.
All of this requires collaboration between countries to share what is needed, from pathogens and diagnostics, to information and resources. And this can only be guaranteed if political leadership focuses on global cooperation rather than narrow nationalism.
The pandemic agreement provides the foundation on which to build the world’s future collaborative approach to preventing the next pandemic threat.
It’s not a piece of paper. At its core, it is a life-saving instrument that will shape how countries engage with each other to protect their populations, strengthen public health and avoid unnecessary disruption to societies and economies.
At a time of so much global friction and tension, I welcome all efforts by the international community to seize this unique opportunity to make the world safer from pandemics. The weight of this shared responsibility is matched by the benefits that a strong agreement will provide for everyone’s health and safety.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.
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