CS leads Kenya team in Geneva talks for new pandemic treaty

Health CS Susan Nakhumicha is leading Kenya’s delegation to the 77 World Health Assembly (WHA), which will try to salvage a proposed-new pandemic treaty.

Countries had hoped to adopt the new treaty at the WHA this week but talks on it collapsed last week and negotiators are expected to ask for more time.

The WHA brings together all ministers of health from the 194 member states of the World Health Organization.

“We are hopeful that the negotiations will build consensus and bring about coordinated global responses. As Covid-19 reminded us, infectious diseases do not respect borders, and thus, we must work together as a global community to address these challenges effectively,” CS Nakhumicha said before she left the country.

The pandemic treaty under discussion tackles mutually agreed terms for transfer of technology and know-how for pandemic products.

It will also institute a system for sharing pathogens and genetic sequence data across a WHO-coordinated laboratory network and financial assistance mechanism for pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response.

The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the WHO, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is: All for Health, Health for All.

Kenya’s delegation includes acting Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth and other senior Ministry of Health officials, representation from the Council Governors as well as members of the Senate and National Assembly Health Committees.

CS Nakhumicha is expected to deliver Kenya’s statement on Monday. 

Apart from the pandemic treaty, the meeting will also discuss proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations of 2005.

Kenya is leading the Africa continent in the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body and Working Group on IHR processes.

Other critical discussions on key issues such as the TB Vaccine Accelerator council, issues on non-communicable diseases, accelerating progress on maternal, newborn and child health among others will also take place.

“Apart from our valuable contribution to the global health landscape, Kenya also looks at the WHA as an opportunity to make our case for greater support for critical health programmes that are critical to our realization of UHC,” CS Nakhumicha added.

Two weeks ago, governments agreed to revise the proposed pandemic treaty, whose text some Kenyan NGOs had opposed, ahead of the WHA on Monday.

The Kenyan groups had said the text allowed rich countries to behave as they did during Covid-19 when they hoarded vaccines.

Several other groups from developing countries also said the text should ensure more responsibility.

The treaty was mooted by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta alongside 24 other world leaders in March 2021.

"During more than two years of intensive negotiations, WHO’s Member States have shown unwavering commitment to forging a generational agreement to protect the world from a repeat of the horrors caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, said in a statement. “I welcome the determination that all countries have shown to continue their work and fulfil the mission on which they embarked.”

Its text has been under negotiation and is expected to be ready for adoption during the 77th World Health Assembly, from May 27 to June 1 in Geneva.

Some groups meeting in Nairobi claimed the text has undergone extensive negotiations, resulting in a watered down draft that lacks accountability.