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

Dr Penninah Lutung
Dr Penninah Lutung

The specter of COVID-19 still hangs 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 Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, a disquieting sense of déjà vu sets in. This 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 prioritizing 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 current draft of the agreement is a pale imitation of what's needed.


Editor's Comment
Oh what a State funeral!

That rare sight deserves heartfelt praise, not only for President Duma Boko and his administration, but also for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Mogae family, and the entire country.President Boko’s decision to grant a full state funeral to a man who belonged to a rival party was a mark of true statesmanship. He recognised that national leadership carries a weight that belongs to the whole...

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