Maseru, Apr. 24 — AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Lesotho is calling on World Health Organisation (WHO) Member States to urgently finalise a strong and binding Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement. The appeal comes ahead of the resumed sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (Part B), scheduled to take place in Geneva from April 27 to May 1.
The WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025, cannot progress without the PABS Annex. This critical component outlines how pathogen samples and genetic data are shared globally, and how resulting benefits such as vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments are distributed fairly among countries. The upcoming session represents the final opportunity to conclude negotiations before the World Health Assembly convenes in May.
AHF Lesotho warns that without a robust and enforceable agreement, the global community risks repeating the inequities witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many nations were left behind in accessing lifesaving medical tools. The organisation stresses that the outcome of these negotiations will shape how future pandemics, Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC), and interpandemic periods are managed either through equitable cooperation or continued disparity.
Among its key demands, AHF Lesotho insists that there can be ‘no equity, no agreement,’ emphasising that the Pandemic Agreement must not move forward without a binding PABS Annex that guarantees fair benefit-sharing at all stages. The organisation also calls for mandatory benefit-sharing measures during both emergency and non-emergency periods, including predefined allocations of vaccines and treatments, technology transfer, financial contributions, and open access to non-commercial research outputs.
Further, AHF Lesotho is advocating for standardised contracts to ensure transparency, accountability, and enforceability, alongside mandatory user registration systems to prevent misuse of shared data. The organisation also rejects any dual-track or hybrid systems that separate access from benefit-sharing, warning that such approaches could create loopholes and weaken global health protections.
On intellectual property, AHF Lesotho urges a public health-centered approach, ensuring that patents and licensing do not hinder equitable access, particularly in developing countries. It stresses that no intellectual property rights should restrict the use of shared pathogen materials or related innovations.
AHF Lesotho maintains that decisive action at the upcoming Geneva talks is essential to building a fairer, more prepared global health system capable of responding effectively to future health crises.
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