The Director of WHO Says That the Time Has Come for a Worldwide Pandemic Treaty
The COVID-19 pandemic proves that the world needs a pandemic treaty, says WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It’s the one major change, Tedros said, that would do the most to boost global health security and also empower the World Health Organization.
“This is an idea whose time has come,” Tedros told diplomats attending the final day of the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
More than two dozen world leaders said in March that they support an international treaty or framework on pandemic preparedness and response, signing a letter whose signatories notably did not include the U.S., China or Russia.
Momentum grew further at the World Health Assembly, as more than 30 countries, along with every EU member, supported discussing the matter of a treaty or convention in November.
