WHO Pandemic Agreement: Key Highlights, Objectives & Implementation Timeline

21 May 2025

WHO Pandemic Agreement: Key Highlights, Objectives & Implementation Timeline

The 78th World Health Assembly adopted the first-ever WHO Pandemic Agreement to enhance global equity, preparedness, and collaboration in future pandemics.

WHO Pandemic Agreement

  • Background: The Agreement emerged in 2024 from three years of negotiations addressing global gaps and inequities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Legal Significance: It is the second international legal agreement under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003).
  • Objective: Aims to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, based on equity, solidarity, transparency, and scientific evidence.
  • Implementation Timeline:  The Agreement will come into force after:
    • 60 countries ratify it.
    • Key mechanisms (like PABS)  will be finalized by May 2026.
  • Respect for Sovereignty:  WHO cannot impose laws or actions (e.g., lockdowns, vaccine mandates, travel bans); states retain full sovereignty in public health decisions.

Key Components of the Agreement

  • Prevention and Surveillance:
    • Encourage national pandemic prevention plans.
    • Strengthen early detection of infectious diseases.
    • Focus on immunization, lab biosafety, AMR, and zoonotic disease control.
  • Sustainable Local Production: Promote equitable distribution and rapid production scale-up of vaccines and other health products.
    • Ensure fair access to these during pandemics.
  • Technology Transfer: Support tech and knowledge transfer to developing countries.
    • Use licensing, financing, and regulatory incentives.
    • WHO to facilitate regional/global technology hubs.
  • Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS):Rapid sharing of pathogen data with manufacturers.
    • Manufacturers to allocate 20% of real-time production to the countries which are part of the agreement.
      • 10% as donations.
      • 10% at affordable prices.
    • Applies to all companies, regardless of location.
    • Detailed framework to be finalized by May 2026.
  • Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network: A new WHO-coordinated network will:
    • Ensure timely and equitable distribution of health products.
    • Address barriers during emergencies.

Archive Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing

Know about Physics Wallah

Physics Wallah is an Indian online education platform, that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students of classes 6 to 12 and those preparing for JEE and NEET exams. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample papers, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers, which makes us a one-stop solution for all resources. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.

We Stand Out because

We successfully provide students with intensive courses by India's qualified & experienced faculties. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.

Our Key Focus Areas

Physics Wallah’s main focus is to create accessible learning experiences for students all over India. With courses like Lakshya, Udaan, Arjuna & many others, we have been able to provide a ready solution for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formulae to giving e-books of eminent authors, PW aims to provide reliable solutions for student prep.

What Makes Us Different

Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others.

Aiming for UPSC?

Download Our App

# #
Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

<div class="new-fform">






    </div>

    Subscribe our Newsletter
    Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
    *Promise! We won't spam you.
    Yes! I want to Subscribe.