World Health Assembly hopes to reinforce pandemic preparedness after bold treaty project stalls

Member countries started the WHO annual assembly to enhance global readiness for outbreaks like Covid-19 after a failed pandemic treaty. Efforts focus on preparing for future pandemics amidst distractions like elections and climate change. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insists the stalled work on the pandemic treaty was not a failure, and acknowledged an "immense" task on a "very ambitious timeline" alluding to the many years it usually takes for UN member countries to reach global treaties.