Vaccines and WHO reform on the agenda of the World Health Assembly

General view of the room where the annual general assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) is held, held on May 19, 2003 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

(Illustration) AFP - PHILIPPE MERLE

Text by: Simon Rozé Follow

4 min

The World Health Organization (WHO) meets all week starting this Monday, May 24.

An assembly largely devoted to the Covid-19 pandemic but also to the reform of the organization.

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Globally, the vaccination campaign is still unequal: three-quarters of the

vaccines

administered worldwide have only been administered in 10 countries.

This World Health Assembly should therefore be largely devoted to the issue of sharing the doses produced, in order to better fight against

Covid-19

.

As such, the question of the lifting of patents should be on many lips, even if technically it is not

the WHO

, but the WTO, the World Trade Organization, which is competent to deal with the subject: 

" this question will still be discussed at the WHO between countries, ”

explains Auriane Guilbaud from the sociological and political research center of the University of Paris 8.

“The idea is to bring out common positions which can then be taken to the WTO.

We will also discuss the issue of technology transfers: it is not enough to lift intellectual property rights for vaccines to be produced as if by magic.

There are huge challenges in terms of technology transfer and production.

As an organization with technical expertise, WHO can also bring out positions on the subject, which could also be brought to the WTO, ”she

adds.

Towards a reform of the WHO?

If vaccines and their accessibility is indeed one of the most pressing topics, one of the big issues of this World Health Assembly will also relate to the future of WHO.

Many are calling for reform of the organization, which has been widely criticized for its management of the pandemic, especially during the first months.

At the center of the complaints is the International Health Regulations, the WHO warning system.

Too heavy, too slow, but not only: 

“There is a system of emergency meetings, criticized for its slowness, before the official alert is declared.

WHO also has no compulsory power to go and investigate what is happening on the territory of a Member State.

She must wait for authorization from this state, ”

explains Ms. Guilbaud.

All of this criticism does not come only from outside observers.

They are also read in

a report of independent experts commissioned by the WHO itself

to learn the lessons of the pandemic.

It remains to be seen what will be done with it, but there is already a consensus to reform the organization.

"World Council Against Health Threats"

Emmanuel Macron did not say anything else on Friday May 21 at the end of his speech at the G20 summit devoted to health: 

"We must rethink our system to fight against pandemics"

.

The French president then making an appointment at this World Health Assembly.

The Elysée specifies that it will be a question of bringing together with France's European partners several proposals: greater and more lasting funding for the WHO, but also of entrusting it with this capacity for field investigation as soon as it is discovered. 'a disease with epidemic potential. The issue will then be whether these investigations can be carried out without the agreement of the country in question. China, for example,

slowed down

for a long time

before accepting experts on its soil

to investigate the origin of Sars-CoV-2.

If this reform of the WHO is therefore carried out, it remains to know its extent, and the discussions of the coming week will aim to iron out the differences of views.

The other option considered would be to change level, placing oneself under the aegis of the United Nations and not of the WHO.

The creation of a "world council against health threats" attached to the UN is also envisaged.

However, whatever path is chosen, it should not be implemented any time soon. 

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