WHO Chief Scientist says deliberations for global treaty afoot to combat future pandemics

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to creep across the globe, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that deliberations are going on at the global level to determine whether an international treaty is needed to effectively prevent future pandemics. The World Health Assembly (WHA) held a Special Session a few weeks ago to develop and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or international instrument on pandemic preparedness and prevention. Speaking at the Panex-21 seminar's opening ceremony on Monday, Dr Swaminathan informed that some of the current discussions at the global level are about whether there should be a global pandemic treaty that binds all countries to certain types of behaviour, similar to how there are rules around atomic use of nuclear energy.

"The use of biological weapons is not permitted and there are global conventions and agreements in the area of health," she added as reported by ANI. Dr Swaminathan cited the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control as an example, saying that while the convention took a long time to negotiate, it eventually established control measures that have resulted in a large reduction in tobacco consumption. "That is a good example of an international treaty that will be possible for dealing with the future pandemic," she added. 

Panex-21 is a multi-nation disaster management exercise by the Indian Army

It is worth mentioning here that Panex-21 is a multi-nation disaster management exercise organised by the Indian Army, focussing on relief in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. BIMSTEC countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and India are among those attending the event. At the beginning of this month, the World Health Assembly also agreed to kickstart a global process to draft and negotiate a convention under the World Health Organization's Constitution to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.  

The UN health agency took the decision with an aim to protect the world from future health crisis due to infectious diseases. The World Health Assembly gathered in a Special Session for the second time since 1948, and adopted a sole decision named "The World Together." The Assembly also established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to design and negotiate a convention on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, with the goal of adoption under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, stated the UN health agency in a press release. The INB will assemble for the first time on March 1, 2022, to agree on working methods and deadlines. 

With inputs from ANI

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