New Delhi, May 21 -- Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement, the UN health body said in a statement, although the US' absence from the pact casts a long shadow over its effectiveness. The agreement, which is legally binding, came into being because of the challenges faced during the Covid-19 crisis and the disjointed response to it, and aims to ensure countries work together for more effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics. "The agreement will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said. The pact is aimed to ensure that drugs, therapeutics and vaccines are globally accessible when the next pandemic hits. It requires participating manufacturers from signatory countries to allocate a target of 20% of their vaccines, medicines, and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access.P11...