Current Affairs - Bills and Acts - Discussion

The World Health Organization adopted its first global Pandemic Agreement under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution during the 78th World Health Assembly. This legal instrument, only the second after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003), aims to enhance global health security through equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics during pandemics. The agreement promotes international cooperation, ensures technology transfer, mandates affordable access, and establishes financial and logistical frameworks for effective pandemic response. By using Article 19, which allows the WHO to adopt conventions or agreements for health-related matters, this treaty sets a vital precedent for global collaboration in public health emergencies.