International Legal Mechanisms for Counteracting Health Emergencies
Abstract
The pandemics of the coronavirus infection COVID-19, which broke out in 2020, in a few months has affected almost every state regardless of the level of economic welfare, resulting in catastrophic socio-economic damage, an unprecedented loss of GDP, increase in unemployment, and a collapse of health systems. The consequences of the infection spread have become a vivid ineffectiveness indicator of the international legal mechanisms responsible for regulating health issues at the global level. The International Health Regulations have demonstrated their total failure in countering new epidemiological threats, and WHO has once again proved a total failure to act as a global leader in addressing health problems. The lack of a vaccine, as well as other health technologies at the time of the pandemic onset, was an indicator of systemic challenges in implementing global strategies to protect from non-military threats and achieve universal health coverage. This article discusses the main stages of the international cooperation development in action against the spread of infectious diseases, and also formulates their importance on the agenda of international organizations in the formation of the concept of global security. The article analyzes the practice of applying international health regulations in the context of the emergence of new infectious pandemics and formulates recommendations for improving the regulation of processes aimed at preventing and fighting against infectious diseases. Special attention is paid to assessing the effectiveness of the mechanism for defining a “public health emergency of international concern” based on the example of the most recent declared pandemics since the revision of the IHR. The article articulates the main barriers to the development of vaccines as the main health technology for countering the spread of infectious diseases, and also examines the main international mechanisms for ensuring universal coverage of essential health care, including successful international initiatives to attract funding. Based on the identified systematic threats in the system of global health management, the article formulates a number of recommendations for improving the activities of WHO.
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