As part of its global Save Our Society (SOS) campaign, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Africa hosted a virtual press conference, urging leaders from the Global South to demand equitable health measures in ongoing World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement talks. The event highlighted the urgent need for binding commitments focused on technology transfer to boost regional production of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, crucial for ensuring that lower-income countries are not left behind in future health crises.
"Establishing a regional production mechanism is vital—it will ensure that developing countries can independently produce and distribute essential health products during any health crisis," stated Guillermina Alaniz, AHF's Director of Global Advocacy and Policy. "This will reduce reliance on wealthier nations and promote equitable access for all."
Critical for countries in the Global South in the ongoing Pandemic Agreement talks in Geneva is linking the Agreement’s Article 11, which addresses technology transfer, with Article 12, which pertains to the World Health Organization’s Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing System (PABS), to require that manufacturers who benefit from PABS commit to the equitable transfer of technology for production in the Global South. This should be done in addition to the annual financial contributions and the percentages to be set aside through benefit-sharing provisions.
Health equity undermined by Global North interests
Speakers at the press conference underscored how the Global North continues to put pharmaceutical profits above lives, particularly in the Global South. They called for the WHO Pandemic Agreement to include binding provisions that ensure technology transfer necessary to build health resilience in developing countries. "It's not enough to claim equity without taking real
steps to achieve it," Alaniz added, emphasizing that the current commitment of setting aside only 20% of pandemic-related products for 80% of the world’s population is inadequate. "We need the inclusion of technology transfer provisions in the PABS to empower the Global South to produce these products during global health crises, ensuring a more equitable and effective response.”
Africa's struggle for a stronger voice
Dr. Samuel Kinyanjui, AHF Kenya's Country Program Director, highlighted the challenges African nations face in international negotiations. "One of the key factors that weaken us in negotiations is a lack of preparedness," Kinyanjui noted. "African representation often arrives late and under- resourced, with teams lacking the legal and economic expertise needed to navigate complex treaties." He stressed the importance of including civil society in negotiations and presenting a unified front, rather than fragmented national positions that undermine collective bargaining power.
A call for unified action and accountability
Aggrey Aluso, Africa Director of the Pandemic Action Network, pointed to recent efforts by the Africa CDC to enhance African leadership in the negotiation process. However, he cautioned that significant hurdles remain, particularly in securing clear support from African capitals and resolving legal ambiguities that could weaken the agreement. "The negotiations are caught between conflicting interests—public health versus industry profits," Aluso explained. He criticized high-income countries for pushing non-binding agreements and discretionary financing models that have repeatedly failed during past health emergencies.
Aluso also called out the double standards in global health financing, where philanthropy-based contributions lack accountability and fail to meet urgent needs. "Everyone talks about equity, but the real challenge lies in creating an equitable system. A philanthropy-based, discretionary system will never ensure true equity," he stated, urging both high-income countries and African states to invest in robust, accountable financing mechanisms for the Pandemic Agreement.
Towards a unified Global South
The SOS campaign's central message is clear: the Global South must unite to demand a fair and binding WHO Pandemic Agreement that ensures true health equity. "It's time for leaders around the world to turn words into action and ensure that everyone is safe. African countries and other nations struggling to prepare for the next global public health disaster cannot afford a repeat what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, AHF Africa Bureau Chief Dr. Penninah Lutung. The virtual press conference underscored the necessity of a coordinated, collective approach to pandemic preparedness and response, driven by the needs of all, not just the wealthiest.
Pandemic Agreement to strengthen global health preparedness and response
In December 2021, the Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a global process to draft and negotiate a convention, agreement, or other international instrument ('Pandemic Agreement') aimed at strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. After more than two years of negotiations, countries failed to reach an agreement by this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA), leading the assembly to extend the mandate of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to continue negotiations until 2025. The 11th meeting of the INB is currently taking place from September 9-20, 2024, where decisions will be made that could reshape global pandemic preparedness and response.