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How to fight the next pandemic, without America
The world scrambles to save global health policy from US President Donald Trump.
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An executive order issued on US President Donald Trump’s first day in office announced America’s withdrawal from the WHO and from pandemic treaty negotiations.
PHOTO: AFP
The Economist
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Heartfelt applause greeted the adoption on May 20 of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, a treaty that commits governments to be more responsible and less selfish when future pandemics emerge. There was doubtless an edge of relief to the clapping. After three years of fierce argument, an overwhelming majority of health ministers and officials from more than 130 countries – but not America, which is leaving the WHO and boycotting the treaty – voted to approve the text.
To cheerleaders, this was hopeful applause. The WHO boss, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, congratulated governments on a “victory for public health, science and multilateral action”.
