Pharmacy Daily | Game plan for pandemics

THE Australian Government and Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) have broadly welcomed and endorsed the World Health Organization's (WHO) new Pandemic Agreement, which lays out a coordinated global response against future outbreaks.

The framework follows three years of negotiations and work to identify and close gaps and inequities which emerged as part of the WHO's overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adopted at the WHO's 78th World Health Assembly, the agreement will boost collaboration to ensure a stronger and more equitable response to a future outbreak.

"The Agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action," said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats.

"It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19."

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Health Minister Mark Butler said the framework is an important step forward.

"The next pandemic is not a matter of 'if', but 'when'," Minister Butler said.

"We have a collective responsibility to protect public health in all of our countries."

AdPha said the framework will bolster Australia's ability to prevent, prepare for and respond rapidly, saving lives and safeguarding the economy.

"This agreement comes at a crucial time," said AdPha President, Tom Simpson (pictured left), who was in Geneva as part of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) delegation.

"We now have the opportunity to reflect on the lessons from COVID-19 and embed them into how we prepare for the future."

Simpson added that hospital pharmacists faced the pandemic head on and worked tirelessly to ensure patients had access to critical care.

The formal WHO agreement is now set to be signed next year. ML