After three years of intense negotiations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday adopted the world’s first pandemic agreement during the ongoing annual meeting of the inter-governmental body. The adoption came after the approval by vote a day ago by member state delegations — there were 124 votes in favour, none against and 11 abstentions. The agreement is historic because it sets out principles for better international coordination to strengthen the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. It hopes to ensure equitable and timely access to diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics — something that was not seen during the Covid-19 pandemic where richer countries had surplus vaccines and others struggled to get enough for their population. A victory for public health “The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats. It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those …