AHF DEMANDS EQUITY IN GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY FOR AFRICA
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The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has asked African leaders to build Africa’s future in global health security by advocating for an equitable deal that benefits all nations, particularly those in the Global South.
The foundation issued the request as part of its Save Our Society (SOS) campaign, which precedes the next round of World Health Organisation Pandemic Agreement negotiations, which will take place from November 4 to 15, 2024.
The pandemic pact aims to ensure responses to future pandemics as well as equitable access to commodities and vaccines.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the foundation noted that the COVID-19 epidemic showed fundamental inequities, with 85% of African countries unable to protect their populations while wealthier nations hoarded vaccinations.
It stated that the impending Pandemic Agreement talks are Africa’s opportunity to ensure that these imbalances are never reproduced.
Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria’s Country Program Director, stated, “For a Pandemic Agreement to truly serve Africa’s needs, leaders across the continent must demand equity at its core, including ensuring fair and timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments through the establishment of regional manufacturing hubs and binding commitments on technology transfer across Africa.
“The pandemic has shown us that the health of one nation affects the health of all. Africans cannot wait for handouts in times of crisis, as was the case with COVID-19 and what is currently happening with insufficient access to vaccines in response to the Mpox outbreak. We must demand the tools, knowledge, and capacity to protect ourselves and ensure no country is left behind.”
It emphasised that African states must be able to obtain the expertise and resources required to produce vaccines and other vital health commodities on their own, eliminating dependency on external suppliers and equipping the continent to respond to future pandemics with greater resilience.
It underlined the importance of sustained financing for pandemic preparedness and health infrastructure, which African leaders must advocate for.
“Africa’s leaders have an essential opportunity to influence the final terms of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. By standing firm on these issues—equity, regional production, technology transfer, and sustainable financing—African nations can secure a fairer and more resilient future for the continent. The time to act is now,” it added.
However, the foundation requires concrete methods to promote local vaccine, diagnostic, and therapeutic production in the Global South.
“This requires a binding roadmap for the transfer of knowledge, technology, and long-term sustainable financing, as outlined in Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the draft agreement.
We are asking for enforceable provisions that ensure technology transfer is not restricted to voluntary and mutually agreed terms but allows low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the same flexibilities that rich nations like the United States have to use non-voluntary means and ancillary measures to address public health emergencies and other crises.
“The agreement must secure long-term, binding financial commitments from high-income countries to support pandemic preparedness and response in LMICs. Voluntary contributions alone will not suffice, as outlined in Article 20, and effective global health governance now recognizes the crucial role of civil society and other non-state actors in decision-making processes. Embracing a governance model that includes their meaningful participation can enhance legitimacy, bolster accountability, and transform the global health security architecture into a more equitable and effective system to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to global health threats,” it concluded.
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