WHO’s Big Win: The World Agrees On Health Rules.

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China played an active part in the talks for a new global agreement on pandemics and supported ideas like countries working together, sharing responsibility, and making decisions as a group, according to a Chinese official at the 78th World Health Assembly.

This new agreement, called the WHO Pandemic Agreement, took three years to negotiate and was officially approved on Tuesday in Geneva.

The new WHO pandemic agreement could help the Caribbean in several important ways:

1. Faster Access to Vaccines and Medicines
   The treaty aims to make sure poorer and smaller countries—like many in the Caribbean—get fair and timely access to vaccines, treatments, and other health products during a pandemic.

2. Better Early Warnings
   With faster and more transparent sharing of disease data worldwide, Caribbean nations could get earlier alerts about new outbreaks, giving them more time to prepare and respond.

3. Support from WHO Stockpiles
   The agreement includes systems to distribute medical supplies through the WHO. This could mean faster delivery of protective equipment, test kits, and emergency supplies to Caribbean countries in future health crises.

4. Technology Sharing
   It pushes for sharing health technologies with developing nations. This could help Caribbean countries strengthen their own labs, hospitals, and vaccine production over time.

5. Stronger Global Cooperation
   The treaty reinforces global teamwork, which benefits small island nations that often lack influence in major health decisions. It ensures they have a voice in global planning and receive international support when needed.

6. Fairer Rules for Pathogen Sharing
   Caribbean countries that discover new viruses could benefit from agreements that ensure fair returns if their samples help create valuable medicines or vaccines.

In short, the agreement gives the Caribbean more protection, more fairness, and more support during future global health emergencies.

The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said this deal shows that working together globally is the best way to face shared dangers. The president of this year’s assembly, Teodoro Herbosa from the Philippines, said countries must now act fast to carry out the treaty’s promises—especially making sure everyone has fair access to health products.

However, some parts of the deal still need more work before it can be signed by countries. One big issue is about how countries that share dangerous pathogens will be rewarded—especially if those pathogens help drug companies make vaccines or treatments. This question will be decided next year.

Source: China Daily.

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