In the event of another pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing an international accord
that will help ensure the fairer distribution of health resources across rich and poor countries, and improve data sharing between nations. This week, an intergovernmental negotiating body of the WHO (INB) met to discuss proposals for an agreement on pandemic preparedness. Its goal is to present a final draft at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.
Much remains to be settled, but observers and political representatives alike are already making false claims about the accord.
So far this year, all that's been published is a first draft — referred to as "zero draft
" — in February for the WHO to discuss. Since then, misleading comments and accusatory posts with false claims have been flooding social media. DW reviewed some of them.
Claim: Many on Twitter fear the WHO aims to interfere in states' sovereignty.
DW fact check: False
The agreement on pandemic preparedness is negotiated between the 194 member states
of the World Health Organization, but the WHO itself cannot determine the content of the arrangements. The draft text is careful to stress the sovereignty of nations, and Germany's Federal Ministry of Health explained to DW that "the final agreed-upon regulations are ratified by sovereign nations, in order to acquire national legal effect.”
Pedro Villarreal is an expert for international...
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