Countries have agreed to an initial US-led push to reform the rules around disease outbreaks, known as the International Health Regulations, after early opposition from Africa and others were overcome this week, sources told Reuters on Friday.
The amendments, once confirmed by the World Health Organisation assembly, are one of a handful of concrete outcomes from a meeting seen as a once-in-a-generation chance for the UN health agency to strengthen its role following some 15 million deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The reform sought by Washington and backed by others like Japan and the European Union is the first step in a broader reform of the IHR, which set out countries’ legal obligations around disease outbreaks, expected to take up to two years.
Earlier this week, African countries and others voiced opposition to the approach but three diplomatic sources said this was overcome through changes to the proposal’s wording.
“A compromise was reached in the corridors last night,” said one of the sources who was not authorised to speak about the negotiations publicly.
