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Over the past three years, children have suffered immensely from the health and socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which threatened their rights to survive, thrive, learn and be protected. Many health systems were unable to respond adequately to the increased demand for health care due to the pandemic, nor could they maintain routine health services.

With limited health financing, it is critical that we maximise the impact of the investments in the Pandemic Fund. The new fund must focus on the areas which both; strengthen primary health care to boost resilience for health shocks and build core preparedness capacities.

By doing so we will make gains in child survival and improve health outcomes for all women, children and adolescents. It is therefore essential that interventions must be equitable, inclusive, integrated and that all stakeholders play an equal part in their design.

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is a group of more than 70 countries, international organizations and non-government organizations, and private sector companies that have come together to achieve the vision of a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases.

To realize this vision, the GHSA leverages and complements the strengths and resources of multi-sectoral and multilateral partners to address priorities and gaps in efforts to build and improve country capacity and leadership in the prevention and early detection of, and effective response to, infectious disease threats.

See GHSA website for more

A  bitter debate over proposed WHO recognition of a non-profit center for reproductive health rights, erupted in full force at the WHO Executive Board on Monday – after a tumultuous week of the World Health Assembly where member states largely skirted the increasingly contentious issue of sexual and reproductive health rights.

The proposal by the WHO Secretariat the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights be designated as a non-state actor in “official relations” with WHO – drew fierce opposition from member state blocs of the Eastern Mediterranean and African region – with Qatar threatening to escalate the issue and potentially the criteria for admitting non-state actors into official relations to the World Health Assembly if the WHO recognition of official relations with the organization is approved by the EB.

In this edition, we bring you an update on the drafting group meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating body that met this week in Geneva. (Do note that this story was updated on June 17 to capture the proceedings from the final session.)

Also, find below, a short update from the WTO on the extension of the TRIPS decision to COVID-19 tests and treatments.

Official page of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response

Universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

Every country has a different path to achieving UHC and deciding what to cover based on the needs of their people and the resources at hand. However, the importance of access to health services and information as a basic human right is universal.

To make health for all a reality, all people must have access to high quality services for their health and the health of their families and communities. To do so, skilled health workers providing quality, people-centred care; and policy-makers committed to investing in universal health coverage are essential.

Universal health coverage requires strong, people-centred primary health care. Good health systems are rooted in the communities they serve. They focus not only on preventing and treating disease and illness, but also on helping to improve well-being and quality of life.

A G20 High Level Independent Panel (HLIP) on Financing the Global Commons for Pandemic Preparedness and Response was established on 26 January 2021.

The HLIP is tasked with:

• Identifying the gaps in the financing system for the global commons for pandemic prevention, surveillance, preparedness and response.

• Proposing actionable solutions to meet these gaps on a systematic and sustainable basis, and optimally leverage resources from the public, private and philanthropic sectors and the international financial institutions (IFIs).

The HLIP’s members, predominantly economic and finance experts, serve in their individual and independent capacities. The HLIP is providing a Progress Note to the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors at their meeting in April 2021, and will present its full recommendations during their July 2021 meeting.

Marking four years since the pandemic was declared and two years into its formation, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Inter-Governmental Negotiating Bureau (INB) for the Pandemic Agreement unveiled the Negotiating Text on March 7^th, 2024. This text will be discussed during the ninth and penultimate session of the INB, to be held from March 18th to 28th in Geneva. Subsequently, it will undergo deliberation for formal adoption at the 77th World Health Assembly, set to convene at the end of May 2024.Top of Form

Several members of the World Trade Organization sought to know from the facilitator overseeing the reform of the WTO’s dispute settlement system (DSS) as to why his 49-page draft ministerial decision did not include language on the crucial pillar of Appellate Review, particularly the Appellate Body.