Improving Pandemic Response: Why Animal Welfare Matters in the New WHO Treaty

The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that our global health system needs a lot of improvement. A new WHO pandemic treaty is being discussed, and including animal welfare is really important. This study looks at what key groups from civil society think about this. They found that things like preventing diseases that jump from animals to humans, a One Health approach, better animal health systems, fair practices, and clear policies are crucial.

When compared to the April 2024 draft of the treaty, there are both good matches and areas that need work. Because of debates and the need for more improvements, the treaty isn't ready for the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024. The study suggests some changes to make the treaty better and more fair. This is important because we need to tackle the root causes of pandemic risks.

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