The world’s health sector faces many challenges, from access to healthcare to scarcity of trained personnel. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has sought to address these issues by publishing a ‘Zero-Draft’ of a Pandemic Treaty. This draft aims to enhance global and national preparedness for pandemics and other global health emergencies.
Exploring the Zero-Draft of the Pandemic Treaty
The Zero-Draft of the Pandemic Treaty is a reaction to the international community’s failure to show solidarity and equity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The treaty’s purpose is to address the deficiencies in global health responses through several principal components.
Global Cooperation
The Draft calls for improved global coordination and cooperation in preparation for and response to pandemics and other global health emergencies.
Strengthening of Health Systems
The Draft emphasizes the enhancement of health systems in all nations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to prepare adequately for pandemics and other global health crises.
Investment in Research and Development
To ensure availability of essential health technologies during global health emergencies, the Draft supports increased investment in the research and development of health technologies. It highlights the importance of transparency in sharing information about global health emergencies, including the spread of diseases.
Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System
The WHO has constituted a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) to ensure responsible and equitable use of pathogens and their genetic resources in the research and development of new medicines and vaccines.
Focusing on Gender Disparities
Through the Draft, the WHO aims to address gender disparities in the healthcare workforce and ensure equal pay and equal opportunities for leadership roles for women.
Current Framework for Global Health Cooperation
The International Health Regulations (IHR) is an instrument of international law that enables international collaboration to prevent and control the spread of diseases. The IHR empowers the WHO to act as the main global surveillance system.
Global Healthcare Sector: Facing Challenges
Despite advancements in medical technology, many populations worldwide still lack access to basic healthcare services. This lack of access is particularly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries.
Issues with Healthcare Infrastructure
Public health data and infrastructure are fragmented and lack a global standard, causing concerns about the quality and reliability of existing healthcare systems. A significant portion of hospital expenditures is often used to correct preventable medical mistakes or infections acquired in hospitals.
Affordability and Disparity
Healthcare can be expensive, and many individuals struggle to afford basic healthcare services. Despite advancements in medical technology, significant inequalities in health outcomes persist globally.
Scarcity of Health Personnel
The healthcare sector faces shortages of trained and qualified health workers in many countries. For instance, India has one government doctor per 10,189 people, indicating a shortage of 600,000 doctors.
Non-Communicable Diseases on the Rise
Non-communicable diseases are becoming increasingly common and place a significant burden on healthcare systems.
This article concludes with a question from the UPSC Civil Services Examination’s previous year, asking about the basic principles behind vaccine development and how vaccines work.
