How the World Health Organization might fight future pandemics

Negotiations on new rules for dealing with pandemics are underway at the World Health Organization (WHO), with a target date of May 2024 for a legally
binding agreement to be adopted by the U.N. health agency’s 194 member countries.
A new pact is a priority for WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as his second five-year term at the head of the global health agency gets underway. It seeks to shore up the world’s defences against new pathogens following the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 6.5 million people, according
to the WHO.
The global health agency itself is facing calls for reform after an independent panel described it as “underpowered” when COVID-19 struck, with limited ability to investigate outbreaks and coordinate containment measures.