He wrote that all meetings must be fully virtual by default unless exceptional approval is sought and granted, adding technical support missions should be limited to the most essential.

Read Also: Trump signs order to pull US from WHO

President Donald Trump had on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the WHO, a body he has repeatedly criticised over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tedros said the announcement has made the financial situation more acute, saying they know it has created significant concern and uncertainty for the WHO workforce.

He further said they are reviewing which activities to prioritise with a reduced resource envelope.

Tedros stressed that the UN health agency hoped the new administration would reconsider its decision, noting they were open to dialogue on preserving the relationship.

The post WHO Reviewing Priorities Ahead Of US Exit appeared first on Afinju FM.

The talks at the World Health Organization’s headquarters in Geneva opened three years on from the decision to draft a new accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response taken in the heat of Covid-19 crisis.

Concluding an international agreement in little over three years would be exceptionally fast, given the typical glacial pace of striking treaties.

Read Also: WHO, Africa CDC strengthen Mpox vaccination in Nigeria, 16 others

While countries agree on the broad scope of what they want, the fine details remain in contention.

WHO director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, warned that for the pandemic agreement to be meaningful, provisions of strong prevention is needed, for continued preparedness, and for robust, resilient and equitable response.

Tedros noted that an imbalanced pandemic agreement is not an agreement.

Reports show that Monday’s talks focused on research and development, sustainable financing, transfer of technology and know-how for the production of pandemic-related health products, prevention and surveillance, and on the heart of the agreement -the proposed pathogen access and benefit-sharing system.

However, on Friday, countries will take stock and decide if they have made sufficient progress to call a special session of the World Health Assembly in order to adopt a finalised agreement.

A special session of the WHO’s top decision-making body takes 35 days to arrange.

The post End In Sight over Talks On Pandemic Treaty – WHO Chief appeared first on Afinju FM.