The international community would not be prepared to face a new pandemic after that of Covid-19, according to two experts in the field.
- Some countries have been more affected by Covid-19 than others.
- According to two specialists, the international community is not prepared for a new pandemic.
- In anticipation of a possible pandemic, Michael Baker and Alexander Gillespie said there was a need for greater global cooperation to reach an agreement that every country would respect.
Nearly 7 million deaths from Covid-19 have been recorded worldwide, according to the latest data from Public Health France dating from June 2023. Depending on the management of the pandemic by governments, some countries have been more affected than others by this infection.
“Our best chance to prevent history from repeating itself is a deal on the pandemic”
In a recent article published in The ConversationMichael Baker, Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago (New Zealand), and Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) indicated that, in their opinion, the international community would not be ready to face a new pandemic.
In June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted revisions to its International Health Regulations. Among the various measures, a definition of pandemic emergency was added to the text, as well as the establishment of a national authority to improve the implementation of international health regulations within and between countries. “But while this progress is worth celebrating, it is not enough. Even if governments approve the revised regulations, our best chance of preventing history from repeating itself lies in a deal on the pandemic.”however, the two specialists qualified this.
Long negotiations to reach an agreement between countries
In view of a potential new pandemic, Michael Baker and Alexander Gillespie have suggested that greater global cooperation is needed to reach an agreement, which could include many reforms that go beyond the WHO’s International Health Regulations. “But negotiations to reach a global agreement have proven contentious. There are deep divisions between rich and poor countries over the sharing and affordable pricing of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics for developing countries. Sharing data on pathogens has also proven problematic.”they said.
Currently, negotiations are still ongoing to finalize the text of an agreement on pandemics.. “From threats of war to environmental devastation to pandemics, no country can unilaterally protect its citizens from the gravest shared threats facing humanity. But while the need for global solidarity and cooperation is greater than ever, support for many key areas of international law is eroding.“concluded Michael Baker and Alexander Gillespie.
