This historic agreement marks a turning point in global health, uniting countries under a new One Health approach to stop pandemics at the source.
Global Health Reaches New Milestone
At 4 a.m. on April 16, 2025, in Geneva, the World Health Organization’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Body reached an agreement on a new global pandemic treaty. This draft agreement sets a new direction for how the world will prevent and respond to future pandemics.
A Shared Commitment to Global Safety
The agreement is more than a legal document. It is a symbol of global unity and shared responsibility. It recognizes a key truth: human health is deeply linked with the health of animals and the environment. This is known as the One Health approach.
Decades of Experience Shaped This Moment
This agreement builds on years of international health policies, including the 2004 Manhattan Principles and the 2019 Berlin Principles. Over the last three years, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) played a key role in shaping the agreement. From early talks, WCS promoted a plan to stop pandemics where they begin — in nature.
Prevention at the Source Is Now a Priority
The agreement includes strong measures to prevent future pandemics before they start. These include protecting natural ecosystems and regulating the commercial trade of live wildlife. These steps are now essential parts of the global health plan.
Changing the Way We See Wildlife and Health
In early talks, some officials questioned why wildlife was involved. But through ongoing education and evidence-sharing, countries began to understand. Human contact with wild animals can lead to new diseases, and this needs to be controlled to prevent future outbreaks.
One Health Is Now Official Policy
The agreement does more than talk about One Health — it enforces it. Countries must now set up systems that share data across sectors, from human to animal to environmental health. This change breaks down the old walls between disciplines and makes it easier to detect and stop disease threats early.
Fair Sharing of Data and Benefits
The agreement also includes a new system called Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS). This ensures that when countries share virus samples or genetic data, they are treated fairly. It protects their rights and ensures global cooperation.
Many Countries Are Already Taking Action
Countries like Uganda, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Brazil are already applying One Health ideas. They are building networks that monitor diseases across species. But global support is still needed to make sure these systems work everywhere.
Global Action Still Faces Roadblocks
Despite the progress, problems remain. One Health programs are still underfunded and often poorly managed. Sharing information is often delayed or blocked by politics. Some countries are unwilling to share knowledge, leaving dangerous gaps in the system.
Next Steps: From Agreement to Action
The draft now awaits approval from the World Health Assembly in May. Once adopted, countries must ratify it and begin to act. This means funding new systems, protecting wildlife, and making One Health part of national law.
Prevention Requires Local and Global Effort
Countries must also reduce risky contact between people, wildlife, and domestic animals. This includes reforming live animal markets. These actions will help prevent future virus spillovers — the key goal of the agreement.
A Defining Moment for Global Cooperation
This agreement is not just a health milestone. It shows the world can come together, even when divided. When the stakes are high, unity and action are possible. Future generations may one day thank the leaders who made this step forward.
The Price of Inaction Is Too High
We’ve already seen the damage that pandemics can cause — lost lives and broken economies. The real question was never if another pandemic would happen, but when. This agreement gives us the tools to stop the next one. The world must now follow through.
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