Jakarta, IO – As negotiations for the WHO Pandemic Agreement approach their final stages, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has voiced significant concerns about the proposed agreement.
Much has changed since March 30, 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders from European and developing countries joined hands to commit to an agreement based on “solidarity, honesty, transparency, inclusivity, and equity.”
Initially, equity was presented as the core of this agreement proposal, but it has since become a meaningless cliché. Although the agreement states its goals of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response based on equity, many countries do not seem serious about making this a reality. Promises, charity, and voluntary commitments are deemed sufficient to prevent or address the human suffering caused by global health inequities during COVID-19.
This is why signing the Pandemic Agreement must be grounded in clear commitments and linked to obligations that are implemented fairly. The Pandemic Access and Benefit Sharing System (PABS), outlined in Article 12, is the primary means to address global health inequities. During the pandemic, developing countries were “forced to participate in an injustice against major powers,” where competition for pandemic-related health products—such as prevention tools, reagents, diagnostics, life-saving treatments, and even oxygen—exacerbated inequities and hindered effective management.
“At every stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, developing countries struggled to secure equitable access to all pandemic-related health products. First, there was a shortage of masks, diagnostics, ventilators, and oxygen, then vaccines, and later effective therapeutics,” said Dr. Jorge Saavedra, Executive Director of the AHF Global Public Health Institute. “Meanwhile, developed countries were able to acquire and stockpile much of the world’s supply, while the majority of the world waited at the back of the line,” he added.
Under PABS, parties are required to quickly share biological materials and genetic data, which is crucial for the timely development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. Participation in this system mandates that participants agree to share a certain percentage of pandemic-related health products to ensure they are distributed equitably, prioritizing emergency needs in all countries and maintaining global health security.
Currently, fierce debates between developed and other countries over the provisions of Article 12 are intensifying as negotiations near their end. The best-case scenario in the latest text would require 20% (10% as donations and 10% at a non-profit price) of pandemic-related health products to be “made available for use based on public health risk and need.” Generally, this is grossly insufficient, as it would leave 80% of essential vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics inaccessible to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which comprise about 85% of the world’s population. The prestigious scientific journal The Lancet has described this proposal as “shameful and unfair.”
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“AHF was one of the first organizations to promote and publish a proposal for a new global public health convention, but the current pandemic agreement proposal could do more harm than good if it continues to perpetuate inequities. Therefore, we consider this instrument to be immoral, and we call on member countries to reject this agreement unless binding provisions are added to ensure equity,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein.
As a country actively involved in drafting and approving this pandemic agreement, Indonesia should be cautious in making decisions that are more just and prioritize the needs of people still affected by the pandemic, especially in Indonesia and other developing countries. As part of civil society, “We urge the Indonesian government to be wise and transparent in making decisions on the pandemic agreement, based on justice and prioritizing the needs of those affected by the pandemic,” said Asep Eka Nur Hidayat, Country Program Manager, AHF Indonesia. “Our S.O.S campaign will continue to call for justice and ensure that the pandemic agreement does not solely benefit developed countries. No one is safe until everyone is safe,” he concluded. (des)