Maseru, Mar. 20 – The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is advocating for the inclusion of the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex in the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement adopted in May 2025.
The advocacy campaign is being carried out under the theme “EU: Stop Blocking Health Equity.”
Speaking during a media briefing in Maseru on Friday, AHF Advocacy and Marketing Officer, Sebabatso Lentsoenyane, said the inclusion of the pathogen-sharing annex is critical to ensuring that African countries have equitable access to vaccines during pandemics.
She noted that African countries often face delays in accessing vaccines, despite some being developed using pathogen samples collected from the continent.
“We want a system where, if vaccines are developed from samples taken in Africa, African countries also benefit equally from those vaccines,” she said.
Mrs. Lentsoenyane explained that the annex seeks to establish clear guidelines for the sharing of pathogen samples and genetic data used in the development of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, while also ensuring fair distribution of benefits arising from their use.
She further indicated that a key meeting is scheduled to take place in Geneva on Monday to deliberate on the matter, amid concerns that some European Union (EU) member states may oppose the proposal…
