On Tuesday, member states of the World Health Organisation adopted a new pandemic treaty to avoid the panic and disarray seen during the COVID-19 crisis.

The agreement was accepted without formal voting on the second day of the members’ annual World Health Assembly in Geneva.

As the conference chair asked whether there were any objections, silence followed, prompting him to declare the treaty adopted by consensus.

The treaty outlines measures for coordinated procurement of protective equipment during future pandemics and enhanced monitoring of animal and human diseases.

There should also be medical technology transfer to ensure that medicines and vaccines can be produced in low-income countries.

However, several contentious details remain unresolved and are set to be negotiated separately over the next year as part of an annexe to the treaty.

These include a new mechanism to accelerate vaccine production and ensure equitable distribution to poorer nations. 

(dpa/NAN)