𝐔𝐍 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐬 #𝐑𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚-𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 • The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a political declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, following negotiations co-facilitated by #Rwanda and Armenia, with 153 countries voting in favour. • The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted against the declaration, while Paraguay and New Zealand abstained. • The declaration seeks to address gaps exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, including unequal access to vaccines and medical supplies, weak coordination, and insufficient funding, particularly in developing countries. • It calls for stronger disease surveillance and early warning systems, investment in health workers, and improved access to essential health services during emergencies. • Countries are also urged to expand local and regional production of vaccines, medicines, and diagnostic tools, with an estimated annual funding gap of $15 billion for pandemic preparedness. • The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the adoption. It urged countries to turn their commitments into action, including by completing negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement. newtimes.co.rw/article/39646…