WHO: Member States agree to amend Int’l Health Regulations

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Geneva, 26 January (TWN) – WHO Member States agree to start the process within the Member States Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health (WGPR) to amend the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005.

A draft decision (EB150/CONF./3) in this regard is circulated for consideration and adoption at the 150th Session of Executive Board (EB150) that is taking place this week from 24 to 29 January.

The draft decision titled “Strengthening of the International Health Regulations (2005) through a process for revising the regulations through potential amendments” was uploaded to the EB150 documents page on 24 January.

The draft is proposed by Albania, Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Japan, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Peru, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Uruguay and Member States of the European Union.

The draft is proposed under Agenda item 15.1 on the consideration of the interim report of the WGPR and the report of the Director-General on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to health emergencies.

The draft decision text has been finalised through a series of informal negotiations on an initial text circulated by the U.S.

The U.S. had earlier circulated substantive proposals to amend the IHR provisions and organised at least two informal consultations in this regard. These proposals seek to impose onerous obligations on developing countries. However, the draft decision for consideration by EB150 provides some clarity on the purpose and scope of any amendments to the IHR (2005).

Operative Paragraph (OP) 1.2 provides some explanation to the term “potential amendments”. It states that amendments should be limited and address specific and clearly identified issues or challenges such as equity, technological or other developments. They could also address the gaps that cannot be addressed otherwise but are critical to supporting effective implementation and compliance of the IHR (2005), and their universal application for the protection of all people of the world from the international spread of disease in an equitable manner. The potential amendments, thus, would not lead to reopening the entire instrument for renegotiation.

The OPs stress on insufficient global solidarity and collaboration, while requiring Member States to take all appropriate measures to consider the potential amendments to IHR 2005. The OPs are as follows:

“(OP1) Noting the urgent need to further strengthen implementation of, and compliance with, the IHR (2005), and mindful that Member States face challenges, including inter alia, due to capacity constraints and insufficient global solidarity and collaboration, decided:

(OP1.1) To note that the WGPR will include, as part of its ongoing work, dedicated time to allow for discussions on strengthening of the IHR (2005), including through implementation, compliance and potential amendments.

(OP1.2) To urge Member States to take all appropriate measures to consider potential amendments to the IHR (2005), with the understanding that this would not lead to reopening the entire instrument for renegotiation. Such amendments should be limited in scope and address specific and clearly identified issues, challenges, including equity, technological or other developments, or gaps that could not effectively be addressed otherwise but are critical to supporting effective implementation and compliance of the IHR (2005), and their universal application for the protection of all people of the world from the international spread of disease in an equitable manner.”

OP1.2 recognizes equity both as a central issue and a cross-cutting issue across the whole implementation of the IHR. This is in line with views of the Member States of the African region, which requested the WGPR to study the issue of equity in both dimensions.

The Preamble of the decision further underscores “the importance of States Parties’ implementation of and compliance with the IHR (2005), including regarding collaboration and international cooperation, and developing, maintaining and strengthening core capacities”.

It also emphasises “the importance of solidarity and equitable access to and distribution of medical countermeasures in the context of health emergencies as well as strengthening the health and care workforce and addressing access concerns”.

However, the decision has not provided any timeline or other details of the amendment process/negotiations.

The adoption of the decision would pave the way for initiating discussions within the WGPR to amend the IHR (2005). It also provides an opportunity to all Member States to submit their proposals for the potential amendments of IHR (2005).

- Third World Network