India, March 18 -- Developing countries led by the African bloc fight for access tovaccine and therapy at WHO talks on pandemic policy
Illustration: Yogendra Anand / CSE
At the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO), complicated negotiations are going on to reach consensus on a Pandemic Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. This is central to a new international treaty on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response that WHO hopes to finalise by May this year for the approval of its 194 member-countries.
To many readers, the question of sharing pathogens might seem esoteric. Why is there a need for a PABS system to access pathogens-these are in the main viruses and bacteria along with fungi, protozoa and worms-a...