May 20, 2024
The annual World Health Assembly (WHA) is convening the last week of May in Geneva, Switzerland. As the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), amongst many other issues, the WHA will be attempting to finalize the Pandemic Accord after two years of ongoing negotiations.
The Pandemic Accord aims to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) by addressing coordination, equity principles, and financing expectations. The agreement will, hopefully, also take on a range of capacity issues, such as disease surveillance, support for healthcare workforces, lab facilities, and resources for non-pandemic related healthcare.
Civil society, including the Coalition of Advocates for Global Health and Pandemic Preparedness of which AVAC is a part, have been tracking the negotiations, calling out priorities, and demanding inclusion. To get the latest update from the Coalition, read the Joint Statement on the April 18th revised Pandemic Accord Draft. And check out the demands for civil society inclusion in this blog, Fighting the Same Fight Again: Civil Society and Community Engagement in Global Health Initiatives, by Samantha Rick (AVAC), Quentin Batreau (GFAN), and Eolann MacFadden (Frontline AIDS).
The Pandemic Accord is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strategize in ‘peace time’ before the next pandemic hits. Civil Society priorities can and must lead this effort. Join us!
Upcoming Webinar
Join us on May 28 for a civil society and community perspective on the Pandemic Accord. Click below for more details and to register.
