…another major issue in the WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiations is intellectual property.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — The iNews Times | The WHO Pandemic Agreement has come under renewed global scrutiny as AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria demands a binding pandemic equity deal ahead of crucial negotiations in Geneva.
AHF Nigeria is calling on member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) to finalize a strong, legally enforceable Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex, warning that without it, the WHO Pandemic Agreement remains incomplete and ineffective.
The appeal comes ahead of the resumed sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (Part B), scheduled to hold in Geneva later this month. The session is widely viewed as the final opportunity to secure consensus before the World Health Assembly convenes in May.
Although the WHO Pandemic Agreement was adopted in May 2025 after intense global negotiations, health advocates argue that it cannot be operational without the PABS Annex.
According to AHF Nigeria, the Annex is the core mechanism that governs how pathogen samples and genetic sequence data are shared globally. More importantly, it determines how the benefits derived from those samples including vaccines, diagnostics, treatments, and medical technologies are distributed.
“This critical component governs how pathogen samples and genetic sequence data are shared globally, and just as importantly how the benefits derived from them are distributed. Without it, the agreement cannot move forward,” the group stated.
The demand for a binding pandemic equity deal reflects lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, when wealthier nations secured large quantities of vaccines while many low- and middle-income countries struggled to access lifesaving tools.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, global inequities became starkly visible. High-income countries negotiated early supply contracts and stockpiled vaccines, while African and other developing nations faced prolonged delays.
Public health experts say that although global cooperation existed in theory, enforcement mechanisms for equitable distribution were weak or nonexistent.
AHF Nigeria warned that without a robust and enforceable PABS Annex under the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the world risks repeating those failures in future Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs).
“The outcome of the upcoming negotiations will determine whether future pandemic responses are guided by fairness and cooperation or continue to be marked by exclusion and inequality,” the organization cautioned.
AHF Nigeria is urging countries to adopt clear and uncompromising principles centered on equity.
The organization insists that the PABS Annex must be binding and enforceable, ensuring that benefit-sharing obligations apply not only during declared pandemics but also during PHEICs and preparedness periods.
Among its proposals are mandatory, upfront benefit-sharing commitments, including setting aside a defined percentage of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments for equitable global distribution.
The group also advocates for pre-negotiated licensing agreements, technology transfer arrangements, annual financial contributions from manufacturers, and guaranteed public access to non-commercial outputs.
“These obligations must not be deferred to opaque, bilateral negotiations,” AHF Nigeria stressed, adding that standardized contracts are essential to ensure transparency, traceability, and accountability.
In its submission, AHF Nigeria rejected proposals for dual-track or “hybrid” systems that separate access to pathogen data from benefit-sharing obligations.
Health advocates argue that such systems create loopholes that allow private entities or states to access genetic materials without guaranteeing fair return benefits.
The organization also opposed anonymous access to pathogen-sharing systems, calling for mandatory user registration and traceability mechanisms to prevent exploitation and protect global biosecurity.
Without strict oversight, experts warn that genetic data shared during health crises could be commercialized without meaningful returns to the countries that provided the samples.
Another major issue in the WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiations is intellectual property (IP).
AHF Nigeria emphasized that IP rules must prioritize public health over monopoly control.
“Non-commercial use of shared materials should not lead to monopolies,” the group stated.
Where commercial products are developed, AHF Nigeria insists that licensing agreements should allow the WHO to sublicense technologies, particularly to manufacturers in developing regions, to ensure broader production capacity and affordable access.
This demand aligns with broader global debates about patent waivers and technology transfer that emerged during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
AHF Nigeria noted that it is working in alliance with civil society groups, health unions, and networks of people living with HIV/AIDS to advocate for a fair and accountable framework under the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
The coalition’s central message is that cooperation must replace extraction.
“Those who benefit from shared global resources must also contribute meaningfully and transparently,” the group said.
Advocates argue that equitable benefit-sharing is not only a moral imperative but also a practical necessity for global health security.
If countries fear exploitation, they may hesitate to share pathogen samples promptly during outbreaks delaying global response efforts.
As negotiations resume in Geneva, global health observers describe the talks as a defining moment for multilateral cooperation.
The success or failure of the WHO Pandemic Agreement’s PABS Annex will shape how the world prepares for and responds to the next pandemic.
AHF Nigeria warned that another failure would erode trust in global health governance.
“A strong PABS Annex will not only strengthen pandemic preparedness but also ensure that no country is left behind when the next crisis emerges,” the organization stated.
At The iNews Times, our analysis shows that the debate over pandemic equity has become central to global health diplomacy. The Geneva meeting may determine whether the world builds a fairer system or preserves the structural inequalities exposed during COVID-19.
As the World Health Assembly approaches, the pressure is mounting.
“The world cannot afford another failure,” AHF Nigeria warned.
The iNews Times will continue to monitor developments from Geneva and provide updates as negotiations unfold on the future of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
