We need a pandemic agreement for all, not for the privileged few

The spectre of Covid-19 continues to hang heavy.

Its brutal wake-up call exposed the gaping vulnerabilities in our global health architecture, particularly in Africa, where the pandemic laid bare the stark inequities in access to life-saving resources.

Yet, as the ink dries on a proposed World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, a disquieting sense of déjà vu sets in.

Wealthy nations, again, seem more concerned with protecting the intellectual property rights of drug companies than with the lives on the line

The agreement, intended to be a bulwark against future public health emergencies, threatens to become a monument to missed opportunities. Negotiations, riddled with self-interest and a lack of transparency, are prioritising the profits of pharmaceutical companies over the collective health security of the world, a chilling echo of the vaccine nationalism witnessed during Covid-19.

The draft of the agreement is a pale imitation of what's needed. It is riddled with empty promises and lacks teeth to ensure equitable access to health resources during pandemics.

Wealthy nations, again, seem more concerned with protecting the intellectual property rights of drug companies than with the lives on the line. This prioritisation of profit over people is a familiar and tragic for African countries who bore the brunt of such disparity during Covid-19.

The Aids Healthcare Foundation stands alongside countless voices in the global health community, urging a course correction. A robust pandemic agreement is crucial, but not one that perpetuates the fragility of health systems in Africa and the wider global south. Equity, not exploitation, must be the cornerstone of the agreement. The prevention, preparedness and response efforts for any future outbreak must prioritise fairness and accessibility to all nations.

The memory of the early days of Covid-19 remains a stark reminder of the consequences of a fractured global health response. The scramble for vaccines, fuelled by a lack of transparency in data sharing and coordination, showcased the ugliness of vaccine nationalism. Wealthier nations hoarded resources, leaving many African countries grasping for scraps. They were forced to accept vaccines nearing expiration or wait at the back of the queue — a grim illustration of systemic inequity.

These failures demand a multilayered solution. The WHO's Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, established to draft the agreement, presents a critical opportunity. The World Health Assembly later this month could be a watershed moment and chance to bridge the gaps exposed by the pandemic and craft a truly global response.

However, the text falls woefully short. Key areas of contention, such as pathogen access and benefit sharing, research and development and technology transfer remain mired in disagreement. While we strive for consensus, we cannot compromise on a win for Africa and, by extension, a win for global health security.

At the heart of our concerns is the urgent need for robust accountability mechanisms within the agreement, including independent oversight. Without clear enforcement frameworks and incentives for compliance, we risk perpetuating the inequities that plagued our response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We call on world leaders to heed the voices of civil society and nongovernmental stakeholders who are advocating for tangible engagement in the negotiation process.

The proposed compromise for the WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (Pabs) has also been rightly criticised as "shameful, unjust, and inequitable" by other global health players. It prioritises the interests of pharmaceutical companies over the fundamental right to health.

Developed nations, again, seem more concerned with protecting private monopolies than fostering collaboration and innovation to combat future pandemics. This approach is not only morally reprehensible, it is short-sighted. Pandemics recognise no borders. A robust global health architecture benefits all nations, not only the privileged few.

We urge world leaders to rise to the occasion. Let the upcoming WHO assembly be a turning point. Let us craft a pandemic agreement that is transparent, accountable, and equitable — one that prioritises people over profits, and ensures cooperative and tangible engagement with civil society and nongovernmental organisations.

The spectre of past pandemics may loom, but the future of global health security is ours to write. Let us write it with equity at its core.

• The author is the Aids Healthcare Foundation Africa bureau chief.