GENEVA (EFE).— The World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) said major obstacles have been overcome to finalize negotiations on amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), a legally binding instrument designed to prevent the cross-border spread of infectious diseases.
This set of provisions was the one applied when the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, but the magnitude of this emergency exposed flaws and gaps in the IHR.
After confirming this and once the acute period of the pandemic was over, the WHO proposed to its 194 member countries to undertake a negotiation process to review and improve the Regulation, which has among its objectives to minimize interruptions in travel and trade in the event of a public health event of international concern.
These negotiations have been carried out in parallel with those being pursued by the same countries for the adoption of the first international treaty on pandemics, which is now in its final phase.
The stated aim is for both the amended IHR and the global agreement on pandemics to be finally adopted at the WHO annual Assembly, which opens on 27 May and runs until 1 June.
The WHO has noted that the final progress in the IHR negotiations is “a historic milestone for global public health” and that the changes to be incorporated will be broad and innovative.
The amendments are based on more than 300 proposals made by countries in the wake of the pandemic to improve their capacity to prepare for, detect and respond to a pandemic situation.
Negotiators will meet in the coming days to conclude their work on a few remaining issues, it was reported.
The IHR, established in 1969 and last revised in 2005, contains important safeguards to protect the rights of travellers and others in relation to the processing of their personal data, informed consent and non-discrimination in the application of health measures.
Once formally adopted, the revised IHR will apply to 196 States Parties, including the 194 member States of the WHO, plus the Vatican and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The IHR will be complementary to the pandemic treaty, the negotiations for which have so far been more arduous and difficult, and whose main purpose would be to ensure a better international response to pandemics, including equitable access to the necessary medical supplies, in particular diagnostics, treatments, vaccines or protective equipment for health personnel.
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2024-07-12 06:04:30