In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO’s 194 Member States established a process to draft and negotiate a new convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response – now known as the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
Headed by the Member-State led Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), this process is driven by the need to ensure communities, governments, and all sectors of society – within countries and globally – are better protected and prepared to respond to future pandemics. At its heart is the need to ensure equity in both access to the tools needed to prevent pandemics (including technologies like vaccines, personal protective equipment, information and expertise) and access to health care for all people.
Since being established by the World Health Assembly in December 2021, the INB has held 11 formal meetings to develop and negotiate the Pandemic Agreement. At this briefing session, the INB Vice-Chair from the Western Pacific Region will update Member States on the work of the INB and the current status of negotiations.
All participants in the Regional Committee meeting are invited to join the briefing session.
Moderator: Dr Gina Samaan, Regional Emergency Director, WHO Western Pacific Region
Speaker: Ms Fleur Davies, INB Vice-Chair (Australia)
This briefing will not be part of the Regional Committee meeting livestream coverage.