Mandates or Markets? Geopolitical Rift Impairs Pandemic Preparedness as Crisis Funds Hit ‘Dangerous Lows’ 26/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen WHO emergency funds are running low, and global health leaders are concerned about a systemic paralysis in pandemic preparedness. In high-level discussions in Geneva, experts explored the geopolitical rifts, pitting the Global South’s demand to treat pandemic tools as legally binding “public goods” against a European push for market-driven surge financing. As a severe Ebola […] Continue reading -> Stopping Outbreaks at Source: Pandemic Preparedness Stumbles at Local Level 21/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan The world is not ready for the next pandemic – and it won’t be unless local capacity is strengthened, global health experts agreed at an event in Geneva on Tuesday. Does anyone brief cruise ship captains, cruise operators and passengers from Argentina that hantavirus is an endemic virus? asked Helen Clark, co-chair of the Independent […] Continue reading -> Member States Support Extending Talks on Pandemic Agreement Annex, Propose New ‘Method’ 19/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All World Health Organization (WHO) member states supported the extension of talks on the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, at the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) Committee A on Monday. A draft PABS annex was due to have been presented to the WHA for approval, but instead, […] Continue reading -> Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Experts Call for Review of Global Outbreak Response as Passengers Leave Ship Hit By Hantavirus 12/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All passengers were evacuated from the cruise ship, Hondius, by Monday night – and a Spaniard taken to a military hospital in Madrid to quarantine has become the 11th person from the ship to test positive for hantavirus. The evacuation was completed 10 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the outbreak […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Stopping Outbreaks at Source: Pandemic Preparedness Stumbles at Local Level 21/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan The world is not ready for the next pandemic – and it won’t be unless local capacity is strengthened, global health experts agreed at an event in Geneva on Tuesday. Does anyone brief cruise ship captains, cruise operators and passengers from Argentina that hantavirus is an endemic virus? asked Helen Clark, co-chair of the Independent […] Continue reading -> Member States Support Extending Talks on Pandemic Agreement Annex, Propose New ‘Method’ 19/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All World Health Organization (WHO) member states supported the extension of talks on the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, at the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) Committee A on Monday. A draft PABS annex was due to have been presented to the WHA for approval, but instead, […] Continue reading -> Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Experts Call for Review of Global Outbreak Response as Passengers Leave Ship Hit By Hantavirus 12/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All passengers were evacuated from the cruise ship, Hondius, by Monday night – and a Spaniard taken to a military hospital in Madrid to quarantine has become the 11th person from the ship to test positive for hantavirus. The evacuation was completed 10 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the outbreak […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Member States Support Extending Talks on Pandemic Agreement Annex, Propose New ‘Method’ 19/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All World Health Organization (WHO) member states supported the extension of talks on the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, at the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) Committee A on Monday. A draft PABS annex was due to have been presented to the WHA for approval, but instead, […] Continue reading -> Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Experts Call for Review of Global Outbreak Response as Passengers Leave Ship Hit By Hantavirus 12/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All passengers were evacuated from the cruise ship, Hondius, by Monday night – and a Spaniard taken to a military hospital in Madrid to quarantine has become the 11th person from the ship to test positive for hantavirus. The evacuation was completed 10 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the outbreak […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Experts Call for Review of Global Outbreak Response as Passengers Leave Ship Hit By Hantavirus 12/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All passengers were evacuated from the cruise ship, Hondius, by Monday night – and a Spaniard taken to a military hospital in Madrid to quarantine has become the 11th person from the ship to test positive for hantavirus. The evacuation was completed 10 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the outbreak […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Experts Call for Review of Global Outbreak Response as Passengers Leave Ship Hit By Hantavirus 12/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan All passengers were evacuated from the cruise ship, Hondius, by Monday night – and a Spaniard taken to a military hospital in Madrid to quarantine has become the 11th person from the ship to test positive for hantavirus. The evacuation was completed 10 days after the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the outbreak […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Pandemic Talks Extended – But Colombia Appeals for New ‘Method’ to Settle Differences 04/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan Colombia has appealed for a new “method” to settle the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement, after World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to reach agreement last week after almost a year of talks. Talks on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system were due to wrap up last Friday night, but have […] Continue reading -> No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
No Pandemic Agreement Annex by World Health Assembly, Says Civil Society 30/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan The final missing piece of the Pandemic Agreement – a pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system – is unlikely to be agreed on by the World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month. This was the view of civil society observers of the talks taking place at the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, who […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Pandemic Agreement Talks Get Five More Negotiating Days 30/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan With no agreement in sight, World Health Organization (WHO) member states curtailed talks on the Pandemic Agreement annex five hours earlier than scheduled on Saturday night, resolving to meet again within a month for a further five days of negotiations. Member states will reconvene between 27 April and 1 May to negotiate further on the […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts