By Stephen Adeleye, Lokoja
With days left before a critical WHO meeting, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria has urged member states to finalise a binding Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing Annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement or risk repeating COVID-19’s vaccine inequities.
In a statement on Friday in Lokoja, Mr. Steve Aborisade, Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager, AHF Nigeria, said the resumed sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group, set for Geneva from April 27 to May 1, is the “last opportunity” to conclude the PABS Annex before the World Health Assembly in May.
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Aborisade noted that the Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025, cannot advance without the Annex, which regulates sharing of pathogen samples and genetic data and guarantees equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.
He warned that key equity provisions remain unresolved.
“Failure to reach a strong and enforceable agreement risks repeating the inequities witnessed during COVID-19, when many countries were left without timely access to lifesaving tools.
“AHF Nigeria is calling for a binding framework covering all phases — pandemics, emergencies, and interpandemic periods — with clear, mandatory obligations.
“These include pre-determined allocations of vaccines and treatments, technology transfer, financial contributions, and public access to non-commercial outputs,” he said.
Aborisade rejected any “dual-track approach” separating access from benefit-sharing, saying it could weaken accountability.
He therefore called on countries to adopt a pro-public health approach, ensuring shared resources are not monopolised and that licensing frameworks support access for developing countries.
According to him, permitting anonymous access to the system could compromise accountability and pose biosecurity risks, hence the need for countries to prioritize traceability.
He further noted that the negotiations offer a pivotal opportunity to create a fair and cooperative global system that can prevent future pandemics and address persistent inequities, particularly those affecting the Global South.
The call aligns with the recent demands by the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) for binding equity provisions.
The coalition further emphasized that meaningful benefits should include equitable access to medical tools, non-exclusive licensing, technology transfer to developing countries, and annual financial contributions from participating manufacturers.
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