Ahead of the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement negotiations, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on African leaders to champion a fairer and more resilient global health framework. Through its Save Our Society (SOS) campaign, AHF is urging Africa to leverage this opportunity to secure equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and critical health resources, particularly for nations in the Global South.

The upcoming negotiations, set for November 4-15, aim to establish binding terms to improve pandemic preparedness and response globally. AHF emphasized that the COVID-19 crisis revealed stark inequalities, with over 85% of African nations unable to vaccinate their populations due to vaccine hoarding by wealthier countries. The organization sees the pandemic agreement as Africa’s chance to prevent a repeat of such disparities.

“For this agreement to serve Africa’s needs, leaders must demand equity at its core,” said Dr. Echey Ijezie, AHF Nigeria Country Program Director. “This means fair, timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments through regional manufacturing hubs and binding technology transfer commitments across Africa.”

AHF is advocating for enforceable provisions that allow low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) similar flexibility in accessing critical health resources as high-income nations. Key demands include sustainable financing, regional vaccine production capacity, and civil society involvement in health governance, which AHF believes will enhance accountability and inclusivity in global health security.

“Africa’s leaders have a unique opportunity to influence the WHO Pandemic Agreement’s terms,” AHF’s statement reads, underscoring the urgency to secure a future where the continent can independently respond to health threats.