WHO needs new powers to control future outbreaks, The...

WHO needs new powers to control future outbreaks,
The Independent Panel for Pandemic preparedness & response have produced a report "COVID-19:Make it the Last Pandemic"
https://theindependentpanel.org/mainreport/
12 May 2021

The report is very detailed (over 80 pages) and I couldn't do it justice by summarising its contents.... What is clear from the report is, many things could have been done better including / transparency of information relating to the virus / testing /therapeutics / vacines etc

It is also clear that testing is a significant part of their exit strategy from the Pandemic and beyond......A World Class POC Test like ADO / EuGeni - could go a long way to answering the urgent call. ( below Point V. of the 6 points from page 14 of 86 of report)

The Independent Panel makes
the following urgent calls

I. Apply non-pharmaceutical public health measures systematically
and rigorously in every country at the scale the epidemiological
situation requires. All countries to have an explicit evidence-based
strategy agreed at the highest level of government to curb
COVID-19 transmission.

II. High income countries with a vaccine pipeline for adequate
coverage should, alongside their scale up, commit to provide to
the 92 low and middle income countries of the Gavi COVAX Advance
Market Commitment, at least one billion vaccine doses no later than
1 September 2021 and more than two billion doses by mid-2022, to be
made available through COVAX and other coordinated mechanisms.

III. G7 countries to commit to providing 60% of the US$ 19 billion
required for ACT-A in 2021 for vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics
and strengthening health systems with the remainder being
mobilised from others in the G20 and other higher income countries.
A formula based on ability to pay should be adopted for predictable,
sustainable, and equitable financing of such global public goods
on an ongoing basis.

IV. The World Trade Organization and WHO to convene major
vaccine-producing countries and manufacturers to get agreement
on voluntary licensing and technology transfer arrangements for
COVID-19 vaccines (including through the Medicines Patent Pool).
If actions do not occur within three months, a waiver of intellectual
property rights under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights should come into force immediately.

V. Production of and access to COVID-19 tests and therapeutics,
including oxygen, should be scaled up urgently in low- and middleincome countries with full funding of US$1.7 billion for needs in 2021
and the full utilization of the US$3.7 billion in the Global Fund’s
COVID-19 Response Mechanism Phase 2 for procuring tests,
strengthening laboratories and running surveillance and tests.

VI. WHO to develop immediately a roadmap for the short-term,
and within three months scenarios for the medium- and long-term
response to COVID-19, with clear goals, targets and milestones
to guide and monitor the implementation of country and global
efforts towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic.