77th World Health Assembly adopts amendments to International Health Regulations 2005
Amendments
are based on 300 proposals by member states
Amendments aim at improving countries’
ability to prepare for and respond to Public Health Emergencies of
International Concern and Pandemic Emergencies
They include provisions for facilitating equitable access to relevant health
products during health emergencies, as well as mobilizing financial resources
to support developing countries in building, strengthening, and maintaining the
core capacities required under the IHR
This is a step towards equity and the creation of an umbrella of solidarity
that will help protect the world from future pandemic threats: Shri Apurva
Chandra, Secretary, Union Health Ministry & Chair of Committee A, WHA
India played a constructive role in the crafting of the Instrument, which seeks
to operationalize equity, necessary for an equitable response by developing
countries to Public Health Emergencies
In
a landmark achievement in the global health security agenda, the 77th World
Health Assembly agreed to the package of amendments to the International Health
Regulations (IHR 2005) based on 300 proposals made by member countries after
the Covid-19 pandemic. The targeted amendments to the International Health
Regulations (IHR) aim at improving countries’ ability to prepare for and
respond to Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC) and
Pandemic Emergencies (PE). They include provisions for facilitating equitable
access to relevant health products during PHEIC and PE, as well as mobilizing
financial resources to support developing countries in building, strengthening,
and maintaining the core capacities required under the IHR (2005).
Apurva
Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare expressed his
excitement by stating that “with the revision of the International Health
Regulations, an incredible milestone has been reached.” He also said that “this
is a further step towards equity and the creation of an umbrella of solidarity
that will help protect the world from future pandemic threats. This is a gift
to our children and grandchildren.”
The
Working group on International Health Regulations (WGIHR) and Intergovernmental
Negotiating Body on Pandemic treaty with country representations began the
negotiation process in two separate groups almost two years ago and met a
number of times including many resumed sessions on the issue. The processes
witnessed a number of close calls with seeming deadlocks over positions taken
by the various stakeholders.
In order to finalize the package of amendments to IHR, a
proposal was put forward in the form of a White Paper by Shri Apurva Chandra as
Chair of Committee A of the World Health Assembly on 28th May, 2024. It
proposed to establish a single drafting group, to be co-chaired by one Bureau
member from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and the Working Group
on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR)
respectively, to consider the matters related to some of the most critical
agenda items - the proposed amendments to the IHR (2005), followed by
consideration of procedural matters on way forward related to INB negotiations
on the Pandemic treaty. The said proposal was approved by all member states by
consensus.
The single drafting group thus established, along with
WHO secretariat and member State representatives, through sheer hard work and
determination completed the work of bringing consensus in the ongoing IHR
amendments during the 77th assembly session period. India played a
constructive role in the crafting of the Instrument, which seeks to
operationalize equity, necessary for an equitable response by developing
countries to Public Health Emergencies.
As a result, on 1 June, 2024 the Resolution to
amendment of IHR (2005) was adopted by consensus in the 77th World Health
Assembly.
