WHO working group co-chair calls for "prioritising measures that may restrict individual freedoms"

WHO working group co-chair calls for "prioritising measures that may restrict individual freedoms"

During a session last week, Dr. Abdullah Assiri, co-chair of a WHO working group looking at changes in international law that would expand WHO's powers, went a step further by urging members to "prioritize measures that could limit individual freedoms".

During the strategic roundtable, WHO members discussed the International Pandemic Treaty and the International Health Regulations (IHR) amendments - two tools that together will increase WHO's powers to tackle "misinformation", strengthen its surveillance powers and issue global vaccination records support financially.

"However, the world needs various legal mandates, like the Pandemic Treaty, to deal with a given pandemic should it materialize, and it will," Assiri said.

"Prioritizing actions that may limit individual liberties, directing and sharing information, knowledge and resources, and most importantly, providing funds for pandemic control are necessary during a pandemic. The tools to carry out these actions are currently in place just not available.