GENEVA: The US Health Secretary has said it would be disastrous for the world to miss out on major reforms to the global pandemic response and that a treaty deal was within reach, with no major issues between negotiators.
Health officials are convening in Geneva this week to wrap up more than two years of negotiations on a pandemic treaty and existing International Health Rules (IHR). However, nations have failed to finalize the treaty at this session and countries are considering an extension.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told reporters on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly that it would be tragic if the world fails to finalize the pandemic treaty.
“Something is going to broadside us. We just have to be ready and we know what it takes to be ready,” he said, referring to future disease outbreaks.
While around 80% of the pandemic agreement is agreed upon, controversial topics such as financing and a mechanism for sharing drugs and vaccines are delaying the treaty.
“I don’t think there’s today substantive disagreement about the essential elements – it’s more how they are packaged, how they are defined,” he said.
To a question, he said the United States had done enough to ensure the future global health system would be fair.
A US delegate previously stated that the IHR regulation reforms should be settled by this week and that Washington supports a one- to two-year extension of the treaty negotiations.
