By Justina Auta
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria and other partners have urged member states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to finalise a strong and binding Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
Mr Steve Aborisade, Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, made the call in a statement on Thursday in Abuja ahead of the resumed sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (Part B) scheduled to hold in Geneva from April 27 to May 1.
Aborisade said the Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025, could not advance without the PABS Annex, which is expected to regulate the sharing of pathogen samples and genetic data, as well as ensure equitable access to resulting benefits such as vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.
He described the upcoming session as the last opportunity to conclude negotiations on the annex before the World Health Assembly in May, warning that key equity provisions remained unresolved.
According him, failure to reach a strong and enforceable agreement risks repeating the inequities witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many countries were left without timely access to lifesaving tools.
“The outcome of these negotiations will determine whether future pandemic responses and Public Health Emergencies of International Concern are driven by equity and cooperation or by exclusion and inequality.
“AHF Nigeria is calling for a binding framework that guarantees enforceable benefit-sharing across all phases, including pandemics, emergencies and interpandemic periods,” he said.
He emphasised the need for clear and mandatory obligations such as pre-determined allocations of vaccines and treatments, technology transfer, financial contributions and public access to non-commercial outputs.
According to him, they were against any dual-track approach separating access from benefit-sharing, noting that such systems could weaken accountability and create loopholes.
He, therefore, urged countries to adopt a pro-public health approach, ensuring that shared resources are not monopolised and that licensing supports access in developing countries.
According to him, allowing anonymous access to the system could compromise accountability and pose biosecurity risks, urging countries to prioritise traceability.
He added that the negotiations present a critical opportunity to establish a fair and cooperative global system capable of preventing future pandemics and addressing longstanding inequities, particularly those affecting countries in the Global South.
The organisation noted that the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), among others, demanded a binding equity provisions in the agreement.
The coalition also stressed that meaningful benefits must include equitable access to medical tools, non-exclusive licensing, technology transfer to developing countries, and annual financial contributions from participating manufacturers. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Folasade Akpan
