Global Health Council INB Public Hearing Statement For New International Instrument on Pandemic Preparedness

April 12, 2022

During the INB Public Hearing, held on April 12-13, 2022, Global Health Council provided input on the necessary substantive elements of a new international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. 

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the substantive elements of a new international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. 

Global Health Council is a coalition of more than 100 member organizations devoted to advancing global health priorities and improving health and well-being worldwide.

Global Health Council strongly supports ongoing pandemic instrument negotiations and their efforts to build a more comprehensive global health architecture that is better prepared to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emerging health threats.

These negotiations must be inclusive, transparent, and efficient, and must meaningfully engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders to ensure a successful outcome.

Here are a few substantive elements that should be included in a pandemic preparedness and response international instrument.

  1. Holistic: Create a more cohesive global health architecture by avoiding duplication with existing mechanisms, like the International Health Regulations. Any new instrument should also incorporate a One Health approach, with particular attention to reducing risk of spillover events.
  2. Equity: Ensure equity in responses to future health emergencies, including access to lifesaving medical countermeasures, expanding local R&D and manufacturing, and supporting technology and knowledge transfer. 
  3. Governance and Accountability: Ensure collective, accountable leadership, prioritizing representation and engagement with leaders and civil society from low- and middle-income countries. 
  4. Financing: Sustainably finance pandemic preparedness, including through the establishment of a dedicated fund, which links accountability mechanisms to progress indicators.

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Global Health Council is the leading membership organization devoted to advancing global health priorities by uniting advocates, implementers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Using the power of our community’s collective voice, we work across disease areas to drive sustainable funding and equitable policies that improve global health and well-being for all.

Learn more at www.globalhealth.org.  Follow GHC on Twitter for more information.

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Juliet Glassroth
Juliet@GlassrothCreativeStrategies.com