“The World Health Assembly this month, WHO will present a plan to strengthen the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience,” WHO Director Tedros Ghebreyesus said. “This includes the creation of a financial intermediary fund to support equitable access to life saving tools in the face of future epidemics and pandemics.”
“And we’re increasing our support for new pandemic preparedness and global health security fund that will be established at the World Bank this summer, with $450 million in seed funding,” Biden added.
“It is clear that a coordinated global response is required to combat future health emergencies,” Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi said.
The Biden administration is spearheading an initiative to amend International Health Regulations with a proposal (Provisional agenda item 16.2) to the World Health Assembly that was made public in April.
Advertisements
Advertisement
According to the proposal, amendments to the International Health Regulations (such as regarding lockdowns, border closures, mask mandates, and vaccine mandates) would purportedly come into effect for all 194 member states.
“Pursuant to paragraph 3 of Article 55 of the International Health Regulations (2005), any amendments to the Regulations adopted by the Health Assembly would come into force for all States Parties on the same terms, and subject to the same rights and obligations, as provided for in Article 22 of the Constitution of WHO and Articles 59 to 64 of the International Health Regulations (2005),” the proposal reads.
The pandemic measures include the following, which shall be enforced by a signatories’ “Compliance Committee”:
New 4: In implementing health measures pursuant to these Regulations, including Article 43, States Parties shall make reasonable efforts, taking into account relevant international law, to ensure that:
(a) Contingency plans are in place to ensure that health care worker movement and supply chains are facilitated in a public health emergency of international concern;
(b) Travel restrictions do not unduly prevent the movement of health care workers necessary for public health responses;
(c) Trade restrictions make provision to protect supply chains for the manufacture and transport of essential medical products and supplies; and
(d) The repatriation of travellers is addressed in a timely manner, given evidence-based measures to prevent the spread of diseases.
The Biden administration is also recommending the following: intensifying ‘health surveillance’ of all countries and citizens; creating a global communication network that reports to the WHO; grants the WHO the authority to sanction non-compliant countries; bestows authority to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to declare pandemics or emergencies; recognizes the WHO’s authority to determine thes steps a country should take in a pandemic response, including vaccine mandates; and authorizes funding for the WHO in the event of a “pandemic.’
Legally, any and all international agreements and foreign treaties must abide by the rights and powers delegated to the U.S. government under the Constitution or else be rendered null and void as “unconstitutional.”
OPINION: This article contains commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
