AHF, stakeholders to EU: strong PABS Annex critical and essential to saving lives

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria and other stakeholders have urged the European Union (EU) to support health equity in the ongoing global pandemic agreement negotiations, warning against repeat of injustices seen during global health emergency such as the COVID-19 era.

They made the call at a press briefing regarding the WHO Pandemic Agreement and Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex Negotiations on Tuesday in Abuja.

The event was organised by AHF Nigeria in collaboration with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

Dr Echey Ijezie, Country Programme Director, AHF, urged EU leaders to stop blocking equity provisions and facilitate the conclusion of a fair and effective agreement.

He cautioned that a weak Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex could lead to a recurrence of what he described as “vaccine apartheid” experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting countries at risk globally.

“The EU must stop blocking equity and get the agreement done. A weak Annex risks repeating the vaccine apartheid of COVID-19 while putting all countries at risk,” he said.

He stressed the need for the EU to align its position with the values of solidarity and fairness it publicly promotes by supporting mandatory benefit-sharing, legal certainty, and real accountability in the agreement.

According to him, a strong PABS Annex is critical, noting that it is not merely symbolic but essential to saving lives.

Ijezie outlined key concerns, emphasising that the PABS Annex should not be approved without adequate equity provisions, warning that weak commitments could perpetuate COVID-19-era inequities.

He added that developing countries were demanding binding rules rather than voluntary arrangements, stressing that clear and enforceable obligations were necessary to build trust and ensure fairness in global health responses.

The AHF official further noted that the EU’s position remained pivotal, as it could either unlock progress in the negotiations or weaken the final outcome.

He also warned that without equitable benefit-sharing, efforts by countries to strengthen regional production and achieve health sovereignty could be undermined.

He explained that advocacy efforts were focused on key EU powers because of the bloc’s central role in the negotiations, noting that a shift in its position could help break the current deadlock and ensure a more equitable global pandemic agreement.

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Mr Romy Mum, President, Lawyers Alert, emphasised that issues of pandemics and lives are too important to be commercialised, hence the need for equity and justice before signing of the pandemic agreement ratification.

He said, “when we are collecting pathogens, we do that from all over the world, but when the drugs diagnostics are ready, then you are saying the benefits should not be equal.

“Benefits should be that the global north should have the benefits of the licensing, distribution, when and how in the global south the poor countries can access this.

“You are talking about the exclusivity of licensing for only the Global North.

“And when its pandemic, it does not ask about licensing, it just hits everyone.

“So let that global framework not be signed except and only if the annex is made equitable, equitable in how we gets the drugs, how we diagnose and all of that should be equal because the pathogens gotten to do the drugs are from all over the world.”

Martin Egbanubi, National Secretary, Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), emphasised the rights for every citizen to access healthcare, urging the government to prioritise the health needs of Nigerians.

Egbanubi, also the General Secretary, Nigerian Allied Union of Health Workers, also urged the government to invest and commence local production of vaccines to handle health emergencies.

“We must come up with strategies for tackling health emergencies.It is not something we should leave to chat, because the next pandemic, we may not be as lucky as the last one, our ecosystem may not be able to save us,” he said.

He urged Africans to be committed to advocacy, invest in research and development to be able to produce, rather than relying on other nations for support.

Gloria Asuqwo, Board member, International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in West Africa, stressed the need for CSOs to be included and have access to the process and all relevant documents before it’s signed.

“Equity, justice and fairness is required. So for the PBAS Annex to be signed, it means that we need to first come to the table and let everybody be carried along,”she said.

On her part, Mrs Chizoba Ogbeche, Vice President, Zone D, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) reiterated their commitment towards advocating for equity to promote inclusivity, diversity and justice in every sector.

Other speakers at the event include representatives of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPHWAN); Association of Women Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN).

Others include: Association of Positive Youths Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria; and Nigeria Network of Religious of Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (NINERELA+)

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